The Week After
by CicadaSix
Summary: What happens after.
1. Monday

**The Week After**

_xxx _

_Seven Days _

_xxx_

**Monday, AM**

_I might have woken you up with this message, but if you don't get up now, you're going to be late._

It was with some dazed sort of relief and happiness that Seryou Touji reread the message he'd just composed, finding himself extremely lucky that he could send it to the same person he'd been sending good morning mails to just the previous week. This was the ideal scenario he'd thought about before – greeting the same person good morning week after week – and somehow, it hasn't really sunk in. It was, after all, a far cry from what he was used to: having a different girlfriend each week, hoping to fall in love but always not getting there, and then having to break up because of it. Well, that was over now. Now that he was already seeing someone on a more or less regular basis. Regular for him anyway.

Touji pressed the send button, double checking the recipient's name. _Shino Yuzuru_. He waited for a few beats before a reply came in:

_You woke me up. Thanks._

Touji's lips quirked into a smile. Yuzuru-san enjoyed sleeping, he knew as much. In the seven days that he'd dated him, there was never a moment when he wouldn't utter a comment about being sleepy and wanting to go to bed. Once, when they had gone to watch a movie, Yuzuru-san had fallen asleep halfway through. Not that Touji minded. Back in the movie theater, he himself had dozed off too.

Touji's smile broadened as he made his way to his usual corner, where he always waited for Yuzuru-san to arrive so that they could go to school together. He'd done as much for the girls he'd dated before, but it was only now that he was doing it again for longer than seven days.

_'Seven days was the limit_,' Touji had always thought to himself. Seven days was enough time to see what was inside his heart. It was probably an arrogant thing to believe in, and considering the number of girls he'd gone out with – with everyone failing to inspire the slightest stirring of love or affection from him – Touji was beginning to think that it was going to be a hopeless endeavor. But that was until Yuzuru-san came along.

Touji thought back to how it all began. It was last Monday. He was late for school again, and it was by some coincidence that Yuzuru-san – or Shinou-senpai as he knew him then – was seated by the gate, waiting for the pizza he and his friends had just ordered to be delivered. The conversation started harmlessly enough. Yuzuru-san greeted him with a curious sort of smile, commenting about the person who had just dropped Touji off, asking him if she was Touji's girlfriend for the week.

Touji could remember responding politely (the person asking was an upperclassman after all), but his mind wasn't really on the conversation. He did find it a bit interesting that third years knew about his weekly relationships. Then he remembered that gossips tended to spread like wildfire in Houka Academy, especially rumors where he was concerned – the dreamy and handsome freshman, Seryou Touji. The guy who had proven beyond any sliver of doubt that one week was long enough to begin and end a relationship. Touji wryly wondered how he'd come about with such a reputation, but he guessed that it couldn't be helped.

It was his fault anyway, for not being able to fall in love.

On that Monday morning, Yuzuru-san had prodded him about his relationships, going as far as to inquire about his "type." Touji felt that it was too personal of a question to be asked of a casual acquaintance, but Yuzuru-san didn't seem like the gossip-hungry kind. In fact, he seemed quite simply the inquisitive type. Touji couldn't sense any malice in the way the question was asked; rather, there was genuine curiosity behind it.

Touji answered without really thinking. He couldn't remember what he actually said that time, but Yuzuru-san jestingly reminded him at a much later date that Touji had let slip that he liked Yuzuru-san's face. It was an embarrassing thing to say, but back then, Touji hadn't really minded. He was talking to an upperclassman whom he wouldn't likely share a few words with ever again. Besides, he'd spoken the truth: Yuzuru-san _was_ beautiful. From the extremely few times that Touji had deigned to attend practices in the Archery Club, he'd seen his fill of Yuzuru-san's serene and stunning profile. Yuzuru-san's stance, with a bow in one hand and an arrow in the other, was elegant in itself, and that was only half of the picture. There was also his beautiful face, which was generally considered by everyone who had seen him, to be at its most breathtaking when he was drawing a bow.

_"Then how about it?"_ Yuzuru-san said afterwards, taking Touji completely by surprise. _"Why don't you go out with me, Seryou?"_

And that was how the week began.

Touji treated Yuzuru-san as he did the rest of the girls who'd asked him out before. He went to Yuzuru-san's classroom, exchanged numbers and mail addresses with him, and requested if he could call him by his first name. Well, the last one was actually a departure from tradition – Touji hadn't dared to be on such familiar terms with the others – but there was a reason. There had been somebody else named Shino in Touji's life – a girl who had once dumped him. Or at least that was what he told Yuzuru-san, although it had been much more complicated than that. Anyway, after the preliminary things were over, Touji offered to walk home with Yuzuru-san, but the latter merely scolded him and pretty much ordered him to go to club practices instead – a thing which Touji had dutifully complied with, much to the surprise of the other club members. Up until that point, he only attended club activities when he felt like it.

Touji quickened his pace, feeling suddenly giddy at the thought that he would still be seeing Yuzuru-san today. He reached the corner of the store – his usual waiting spot – and leaned back in anticipation, his mind suffused with more memories of the past week.

Tuesday came, and more out of habit rather than anything else, Touji sent his very first mail to Yuzuru-san – '_Good morning.' _He simply typed the words without much thought or feeling, and pressed "send."

Yuzuru-san's reply was curt and direct to the point: '_I hate you for waking me up this early in the morning.' _Touji could remember feeling bemused, for he didn't expect that sort of reply from his serious-looking upperclassman. That was when he started to realize that Yuzuru-san wasn't what he seemed at all, a fact that he found rather…cute. His conclusion was reinforced by the phone conversation that followed.

_"Hey, are you an idiot? You _are_ an idiot right?"_

Touji could recall chuckling in amusement at this point, and he replied with, _"Yes, I am an idiot. Sorry."_

_"Don't laugh when you're apologizing!"_

Then Yuzuru-san went on full-blown lecture mode, and somehow, he ended up ordering Touji to attend Archery Club practices yet _again. _Much to his own confusion, Touji found himself complying. He was more perplexed when he realized that he'd done it not out of a sense of duty to please the person he was currently dating, but more out of a genuine desire to see Yuzuru-san again.

Club practice went well that day, better than Touji could ever remember having the entire time that he'd become part of it. Maybe it had to do with the fact that he was aware of Yuzuru-san's presence much more than usual. Perhaps it was Yuzuru-san's idea of revenge for that very early wake-up message, but Touji could feel his upperclassman's eyes on him when it was his, and the other first years', turn to practice.

It was a scary feeling at first, but then Touji realized that he quite enjoyed the attention. It was different from the self-centered sort of attentiveness that he'd received from all the girls he'd dated before. Yuzuru-san's brand of attention was…comforting. It made Touji feel secure and warm all over. He could distinguish it from the kind of worshipping attention lavished on him by people who only admired his face, as opposed to the kind he'd received from people in his life who genuinely cared about his welfare.

They had their first date right after club practice. But even though it was Yuzuru-san who suggested that they go on one, it soon became apparent to Touji that his upperclassman thought that the entire idea was a game, some kind of joke. Which was weird. Wasn't Yuzuru-san the one who confessed to him? Was everything just a trick?

Touji could sense that there was something off, and right then, he knew that he couldn't continue seeing Yuzuru-san like this. If he'd fallen in love with somebody who wasn't serious about it, it would never go the way he wanted it to. But somehow, Touji couldn't end their so-called relationship or correct Yuzuru-san's erroneous assumption that everything was just a one-week deal. '_It wasn't_,' Touji could remember thinking sullenly. It wasn't a game for him. Every week, he was actually looking forward to the idea that he would soon find someone, someone who could make him feel that something…that heady feeling that he associated with falling in love…that feeling that he'd only encountered with one other person…

Shino, his brother's girlfriend.

Touji wanted that, but week after week, that feeling didn't materialize. He went through the motions still, unwilling to give up, even if he ended up hurting or disappointing others – which he avoided by being as perfect a boyfriend as he could strive to be. In reality, the one who always ended up hurt and disappointed was himself. Maybe Shino and Yuzuru-san were right. He _was _a masochist.

Touji dwelled on that thought for a moment before deciding that yes, there _was_ a bit of truth into that accusation.

"Seryou-kun!"

"Seryou-sama!"

Touji turned to find a small group of girls making their way towards him. His morning routine wouldn't be complete without his fan club (as Yuzuru-san liked to call them) hovering around him. Touji greeted them all with an easy smile. He was so used to their presence by now that it was as though they weren't really there at all. Yuzuru-san seemed to feel the same way. Touji guessed that it must be because Yuzuru-san was quite popular with the girls too. He must be used to the sight of a bunch of females whispering and giggling all around him all the time.

"Who are you waiting for, Seryou-kun?" asked one of the girls breathlessly.

"Ah, that is…"

"It's Shino-senpai, right?" answered another before Touji could complete his sentence. He gave her a vague smile, which immediately prompted a slew of giggles and a round of high-pitched laughter.

"Shino-senpai again? Wow, you two really are good friends!"

"But like I said before, you do suit each other…"

"Right," Touji agreed with another smile. There was no use telling them the truth. Last week, Yuzuru-san had told them all honestly that he was, in fact, dating Touji. But the girls had laughed it off, perhaps thinking that it was all just a joke.

That was a Wednesday, Touji recalled. It was the same day that he did what he was doing right now – waiting for Yuzuru-san and walking him to school – for the very first time. Last Wednesday, they spent all of their free periods together, and afterwards – because Touji asked him to – Yuzuru-san waited for him. They walked home together, pausing for a moment at the Harbor View Park in order to enjoy the sunset.

It was an incredibly romantic setting, and the mood was perfect for what happened next. Touji caught Yuzuru-san staring at him, with that same curious look that he had on Monday, when he'd asked Touji out. And then, Yuzuru-san smiled, closing his eyes coyly, in a manner that made Touji's pulse race. Interpreting that as a clear invitation, Touji's body moved without conscious thought, and before he could stop himself, he'd already leaned forward and kissed him.

Yuzuru-san seemed flustered afterwards, mumbling something about falling for a trick.

_"What?" _Touji asked in confusion, to which Yuzuru-san merely replied, _"No, never mind."_

Yuzuru-san's strange reaction to the kiss occupied Touji's mind the entire night, so that when he woke up on Thursday morning, he felt a little bit…weird. But as usual, he waited for Yuzuru-san in the same spot by the train station, wondering how Yuzuru-san would face him that day, worrying whether Yuzuru-san's treatment of him would change because of that kiss…

But Touji needn't have fretted. Yuzuru-san made light of what happened between them the day before, calling the kiss an "accident." Touji found himself laughing with relief, thinking that with an easy-going personality like Yuzuru-san's, there was no need for them to fight over anything.

He was wrong on that count, because at lunch time, they had their first argument. As with their becoming an unlikely couple, the fight started off harmlessly enough, with Yuzuru-san asking him about a girl in his class that Touji had dated previously – Arisa Koike. It wasn't as if Yuzuru-san was jealous of her. No, it wasn't something like that. In fact, it appeared that Yuzuru-san was good friends with Arisa-san.

_'Great_,' Touji had thought with a surprising bout of bitterness. How did they end up talking about a girl?

_"Do you still see her?"_

_"I don't get in touch with anyone I've dated."_

_"But some of them call you, right?"_

_"I don't answer calls from unknown numbers."_

Yuzuru-san fell silent for a while. Then he asked slowly, in a voice that was so unlike his usual cheerful tone, _"You…delete their numbers afterwards? Just like that? Isn't that kind of cold?"_

Touji caught himself regretting that he'd even answered the question.

_"Next week…you'll delete my number too, right?"_

Touji wanted to say that it wasn't really his choice, that if he fell in love with Yuzuru-san – a possibility that was becoming more and more probable by the day – then the week wouldn't really end. Touji wouldn't need to break up with him, and the seven days would become a month, a year…forever.

Yuzuru-san, however, obviously didn't see things that way. Touji felt a prickle of annoyance at that. Why couldn't he see that this wasn't a game for him? Even with the girls he'd dated in the past, even if it was just for a week at a time, Touji had tried really hard to feel something…_anything_… Was it his fault that he hadn't been able to find what he was looking for?

If things weren't complicated enough, Shino took that very moment to call and complain to him about his older brother. Between trying to make the phone call quick, and telling Shino a few well-chosen words of advice, Touji didn't see Yuzuru-san move. In the next second, Yuzuru-san snatched the phone out of his hand and ended the call.

_"You can delete all the numbers of the girls who like you like it was nothing, while you still have the number of the girl _you _like? That isn't really fair, is it?"_

Touji felt far too surprised at this aggressive side Yuzuru-san had just shown him, that he was unable to respond properly. When he found his voice, all he could do was ask what was making his upperclassman so angry.

His question had clearly struck a nerve, for it was the first time that Yuzuru-san yelled at him.

_"Why…? Because _I'm _the one who's dating you right now! Why shouldn't _I _be angry?!"_

And with that, Yuzuru-san stomped off. Touji could do nothing but stare after him, feeling dazed and confused and irrationally _happy._ Touji was just starting to realize something that maybe Yuzuru-san himself didn't know – that the latter had a possessive streak. With a burst of understanding, Touji realized that _this _was what was making him so happy. He was pleased that Yuzuru-san had staked his claim upon _him._

Despite what happened, Yuzuru-san still waited for him after club practice, apologizing for – to use his own words – throwing a tantrum earlier, admitting that he wasn't really sure what he'd been angry about. Touji merely smiled. He was right; Yuzuru-san hadn't even realized that domineering aspect of himself.

It was, Touji decided, actually kind of cute.

_"You don't need to apologize,"_ Touji told him, beckoning Yuzuru-san to come closer, whispering in his senior's ears when he did, _"I'm the type who likes to be pinned down, I think…"_

That was the first time that Yuzuru-san accused him of being a masochist. It was also then that Touji knew that he was – without any doubt – already falling in love.

Friday morning started off like the previous day, with Touji waiting in the usual corner, surrounded by several adoring girls. Yuzuru-san arrived, giving him a strange look that he couldn't quite decipher. It was that same day that Yuzuru-san invited him to a movie. He'd somehow gotten his hands on movie passes, and he wanted to go with Touji! Touji's bubble of delight deflated quickly when he learned that the movie was scheduled next weekend.

Next weekend… Did this mean that Yuzuru-san was still willing to go out with him then? Or would it just be an upperclassman-underclassman sort of thing? Yuzuru-san didn't expound, and with a heavy heart, Touji asked him if they could talk about this particular matter later. He hadn't counted on Yuzuru-san taking a giant bound to the wrong conclusions in that short span of time. Without even quite knowing what was happening, Yuzuru-san had handed him the movie passes on their way home, telling Touji to use them with the person he'd be dating next week.

_"Unless you plan on inviting Shino? You haven't given up on her, have you, Seryou?"_

Touji couldn't quite understand how Shino got involved, but that was hardly the point. Yuzuru-san was practically telling him to pick somebody else to go with, as though he didn't mind at all. It hurt, much like an actual stab in the gut, that Yuzuru-san was fine with the idea of Touji going out with somebody else. For him to even suggest it so casually…

_"Why must it be so difficult?" _Touji blurted out in weary resignation. He wanted to go with Yuzuru-san still, even if the week was over. _"Liking someone can be so exhausting."_

Yuzuru-san smiled at him in understanding and added thoughtfully, _"If the girls in school find out that you have somebody you really like, they'd surely be devastated."_

Touji could feel his stomach sinking. Yuzuru-san had misunderstood. Touji wasn't referring to some other person when he'd said that bit about liking someone. But how should he correct him? The easiest way was to confess that he liked him, but Touji couldn't bring himself to say the words. He'd never been good at expressing his feelings.

In the end, all Touji managed to say was, _"Yuzuru-san, do people ever tell you that you are _really_ slow?"_

Yuzuru-san looked both surprised and disconcerted. _'Ah,' _Touji thought, '_he'd heard the same comment before…'_

_"Looking at just your face," _Touji went on, unable to stop himself, _"people think that you are a stoic, beautiful person. But in truth, you are very careless and clumsy. You blurt out whatever comes to your mind and you do things without really thinking…" _

Touji went further, telling Yuzuru-san the things that he admired about him – his straightforwardness, his impulsiveness, even his absentminded manner. He looked back at Yuzuru-san and concluded, _"Yuzuru-san's personality is actually…"_

_…I like you… _

Touji forced himself to complete the sentence, banishing that other statement that threatened to escape his lips. _"…something I like."_

It was the closest Touji could get to actually confessing his feelings.

Yuzuru-san's face was hidden in the shadows, so that it was difficult to tell what he was thinking. Then to Touji's surprise, Yuzuru-san turned to him and said, _"Thank you."_

Touji couldn't understand what Yuzuru-san was grateful for, but then the latter added, _"This is the first time I've been told that I'm okay just the way I am."_

It wasn't what Touji had meant to say _at all_.

_"Yuzuru-san…you are as slow as ever."_

But it was a happy – almost magical – moment. Not even the fact that a girl pulled Yuzuru-san away a little while later (to confess her feelings, Touji could tell) could mar that short instant of bliss. The girl didn't matter anyway, for Yuzuru-san came back to _him_ afterwards. Yuzuru-san even offered to take him home, saying offhandedly that it was what he wanted to do.

Touji gladly led the way. For one, it was a long walk up to where he lived, and it would allow him a few more minutes to be with Yuzuru-san. It was a good plan, but there was just one thing Touji hadn't counted on – Shino. How was he supposed to know that Shino had gotten back with his brother? Or that she'd be there, running down the stairs in a flurry of lace and ribbons to welcome him back?

Shino, as expected, flitted about Yuzuru-san – an overgrown butterfly descending upon a blossom – and Touji couldn't help but feel annoyed. He caught Shino's arm as it rose in the air, refusing to allow her to touch Yuzuru-san. His unusual display of protectiveness must have gotten across to Shino, for her eyes widened slightly, and she glanced back at Yuzuru-san with dawning comprehension.

_"The third year upperclassman who'd be considered beautiful rather than cute," _Shino blurted out, referring back to the very words Touji had used to describe the person he was currently dating. It would have been enough, had Shino not decided to continue on with, _"The one Touji likes more than—"_

Touji acted on reflex, clamping his hand over Shino's mouth at the very last instant. Yuzuru-san looked furious for some reason, and before Touji could say another word, Yuzuru-san took off. Touji quickly went after him, puzzled at Yuzuru-san's strange behavior, but even after he caught up with him, even after he begged him to say what he was so angry about, Touji didn't get a direct answer.

On Saturday, Touji was relieved to have Yuzuru-san invite him out for lunch. He'd been nervous, that after that encounter with Shino, Yuzuru-san might somehow become aloof or…or mad or something. Touji was glad though, that Yuzuru-san didn't seem the least bit angry. He seemed quite normal, joking with the other members of the Archery Club as they filed past, getting all possessive again when he found out that one of the girls in the club had invited Touji out for lunch.

_"Don't cheat on me," _Yuzuru-san muttered gloomily.

For that one moment, the world seemed to freeze, and all Touji could see was Yuzuru-san, and all he could hear was the latter's voice. _Don't cheat on me._ Really…how could he say that so easily? Didn't Yuzuru-san know how absolutely _ecstatic_ those words made him?

_"Hey, did you lose a screw or something?" _Yuzuru-san asked, poking him in the chest.

_"Didn't I tell you?" _Touji reminded, still reeling from the aftereffects of Yuzuru-san's unexpected display of jealousy, _"I'm the type who likes to be pinned down. So…can you say that once more?"_

Of course Yuzuru-san didn't, but hearing it that one time was more than Touji could ever have hoped for.

They had lunch together, and after a brief debate on where they wanted to go later – with Yuzuru-san refusing pointblank to go over to Touji's place, and instead suggesting his own house – they embarked on a rather long walk, stopping by the DVD rental shop before finally reaching Yuzuru-san's apartment.

It was a small place, which Touji found rather charming in all aspects, including the presence of a girl who couldn't be anyone other than Yuzuru-san's little sister. She was cute, and Touji told Yuzuru-san so, remarking that they look very much alike.

It was then that Yuzuru-san reminded him of something that he couldn't remember ever saying.

_"She's your type then."_

_"Eh?!"_

_"You said it before, right? That you like my face?"_

_"I-I said something that embarrassing?"_

_"You did. Don't forget it." _Then Yuzuru-san laughed, indicating that everything was just a joke. He then confessed, _"Actually, I don't like people telling me that they like my face."_

Touji blushed and stuttered, _"I-it's not just your face…"_

It was Yuzuru-san's lighthearted air, too, and his bluntness, and his honesty… Touji liked him very much, but the words remained stuck in his throat, unsaid. The seconds trickled by, taking with it the opportunity Touji had been waiting for. He sighed at his cowardice, resigning himself to a quiet hour of watching that really boring movie that Yuzuru-san had insisted on renting.

It wasn't long before Yuzuru-san himself verbalized what Touji had been too polite to remark upon – that the movie was about as interesting as watching water pouring out of a drain. Dialing irately, Yuzuru-san called somebody on the phone, and demanded for his rental fee back in an infuriated tone.

_"Who did you just call?" _Touji asked, torn between alarm and amusement. This was one of the things that made Yuzuru-san so interesting. Touji could never guess what he was thinking or what he was going to do.

_"Koike-chan," _Yuzuru-san muttered, voice muffled against the bedspread.

_"You were fooled?"_

_"Lately, I keep getting fooled by Koike-chan…"_

_"Did something else happen?"_

Yuzuru-san didn't answer, but instead turned his head away.

_"Yuzuru-san?"_

_"Watching that boring thing made me sleepy."_

Touji smiled despite himself. _"You say that at least once a day."_

_"I can't help it. I didn't really sleep yesterday…"_

_"What have you been doing then?"_

_"I was thinking…" _Yuzuru-san shifted back to face him, propping himself upon the bed. _"…about you…"_

Suddenly, Touji found that he couldn't breathe. Did he hear it right? Yuzuru-san couldn't sleep…thinking about _him_…? Touji had barely enough time to process what he'd just been told when Yuzuru-san reached out a hand, pushing Touji's hair back against his ear, before gently cupping his cheek. Then Yuzuru-san tilted his head up and kissed him.

It was brief, and sweet, and over before Touji's senses could catch up with what just took place. Yuzuru-san began to withdraw, but Touji clasped his hand in place, holding tight. He couldn't stop himself. This time, it was he who leaned forward to return the favor.

It was exhilarating, being able to hold Yuzuru-san, hands and lips connected, much like normal lovers would do in these circumstances. But it didn't last long. It was another phone call that ruined that moment, a call moreover, from somebody Touji didn't even know. He ended the call without answering, and for some reason, Yuzuru-san got exceedingly angry at him for doing so. Yuzuru-san walked out on him after that, using returning the rented DVD as a pretext, ignoring Touji's attempt to ask him out to that movie next weekend, or his offer to go with him.

The door banging shut was all Touji heard as Yuzuru-san made his exit.

His memories of what happened next were a bit hazy, considering that Touji tried his best to forget about that incident. He could remember walking alone, calling Yuzuru-san's phone and finally connecting, encountering Yuzuru-san himself along the way…and then…

_"The preview tickets…give them to me…"_

Touji complied with some confusion. Was Yuzuru-san accepting his invitation…? But his hopes were instantaneously crushed when Yuzuru-san tore the tickets right in front of his eyes and flung the pieces into the air. Touji could still see the remnants of the preview passes fluttering down the street as clearly as though it were only yesterday, and in his mind's eye back then, he could just imagine his heart tearing apart in the same way. Suddenly, it had become much too painful to breathe.

_"I've decided that these tickets aren't needed anymore. See you tomorrow then, Seryou."_

Touji stood frozen in place, a numb feeling spreading to his extremities as the person he now knew he loved walked past him in silence.

Touji didn't sleep well on Saturday night, and it was with some dread and apprehension that he got up on Sunday morning and set off for club practice. He knew Yuzuru-san would be there, and it would be his chance to explain…to tell him…

Touji had thought all night about what he should do. He knew there was only one way. They needed to start all over again – with no pretense, with no misunderstanding that everything was just a weekly game… He needed to make Yuzuru-san realize that he was serious, that he'd fallen in love with him, and that the one week they'd spent together were the best seven days of his life, and that he wanted to be with him for longer than that…

Club practice was absolute torture. If the bow was indeed any reflection of the archer's heart, then anyone could conclude that Touji's was far from tranquil. In sharp contrast, Yuzuru-san was a steady shot like always, showing not even the slightest bit of discomfort, or nervousness, or distress. Touji eyed the perfect shot Yuzuru-san had done, right smack in the middle of the target, and he felt his heart plummeting down to his stomach. Yuzuru-san was completely fine with what happened yesterday. Yuzuru-san was going to end things today…

_"What happened? Today, you were all over the place," _Yuzuru-san asked him a while later.

_"I should be all over the place," _Touji answered. _"My mind was on other things. I wasn't thinking about archery at all."_

Yuzuru-san's reply was nothing short of bewildering. _"Did something happen to Shino?"_

Shino? Why does she keep on cropping up at times like these? Touji looked straight at Yuzuru-san and said, _"When have I ever thought of Shino when I'm with you?"_

It was a good start, Touji thought approvingly. He just needed to tell Yuzuru-san the rest of it – that he wanted to start again, even if it was just becoming friends. Touji could build it from there…start getting close again…start forming a real relationship…

_"Could we go somewhere else?" _Touji asked, _"I have something I wanted to tell you properly."_

Yuzuru-san agreed, and although he seemed preoccupied, he listened attentively to what Touji had to say.

_"Tomorrow, I still want to go home with you," _Touji began, _"Maybe we could go out…even once in a while is fine—" _

Yuzuru-san released an audible huff at that point, cutting him short. _"That is troublesome."_

The words hacked through him like a knife. Touji's breath hitched in his throat.

_"Besides," _Yuzuru-san went on, _"I'm not willing to have that sort of compromise with you."_

Not willing…to compromise… Touji bowed his head in defeat. It was over. He was a fool for thinking that he could still salvage something out of this seven-day relationship.

It was over.

"Seryou-kun?" The voice transported him back to the present. The girls were giving him strange looks, prompting him to wonder what sort of expression had he displayed just now. "Isn't it getting kind of late? Won't you come along with us instead?"

Touji glanced at his wristwatch, noting the time. Yuzuru-san _was _running a bit late. He should have been here already…

"Seryou-kun?"

Touji shook his head softly. "I'm fine here. You should go ahead."

"Okay then. See you later, Seryou-kun!"

The girls left, waving cheerfully at him, before disappearing from view. Touji returned his gaze to the crowd, expecting to see Yuzuru-san emerging any minute soon. His earlier feeling of giddiness returned at the prospect of being able to spend more time with Yuzuru-san. Yesterday, Touji thought that this would never be possible. Yesterday, Touji thought that it was all over.

_"What time does it end? This one week with you?" _

He could hear Yuzuru-san's voice inside his head as though he was speaking to him at that very moment.

_"Whatever you decide, Yuzuru-san…"_

_"Then since it's a good time, six o'clock should be fine, right?"_

It was, by then, a few seconds to six. A hundred different protests and arguments hovered at the tip of his tongue, but the seconds merely flew by in silence. Touji wanted to open his mouth to convince Yuzuru-san not to end it, but each time he tried, he couldn't quite summon enough courage to say the words. To add to that, Yuzuru-san seemed like he didn't want Touji to speak.

Six o'clock stole in, bringing with it the end. The end… Touji didn't speak as an awful sense of finality bore down upon him. He couldn't breathe.

It was Yuzuru-san who eventually broke the silence by saying, _"I'm sorry, but I couldn't fall in love with you. Let's break up." _

Touji suppressed a gasp, eyes widening in surprise. But then Yuzuru-san shrugged and smiled at him.

_"Well, I'm glad you didn't say that." _Then to Touji's utter amazement, Yuzuru-san continued, _"Go out with me, Seryou."_

Touji was too shocked to respond. What…did…Yuzuru-san…just say…?

_"W-Wait just a minute—"_

_"I love you, Seryou." _Yuzuru-san's face was solemn. _"When next week comes around, I don't want to go back to just being schoolmates…" _

It was one revelation after another. Touji felt happy, relieved, and cheated all at the same time. If this was what Yuzuru-san wanted, why couldn't he have just said so earlier? Honestly, he'd nearly given him a heart attack! And not to mention the sleepless night he had to endure, worrying how Sunday was going to be the last day and how helpless he felt that he couldn't prolong their relationship. Yuzuru-san was so…

_"…cunning," _Touji finished aloud, his voice shaking. _"That is so cunning, Yuzuru-san…"_

_"Cunning?" _Yuzuru-san echoed innocently. _"It's just that if I behave properly, all those people waiting for Monday to come around will put me at a disadvantage, and I don't want you to pick somebody else."_

Touji stared, wide-eyed. He had to hand it over to Yuzuru-san to say disarming things like that with such a straight face.

_"And I don't want this weekly make-believe relationship. I want to go out with you properly." _Yuzuru-san made a face and looked away. _"I'll wait for your reply, but if you go out with someone else before giving me an answer—"_

Touji could no longer contain it. An answer. Honest and blunt though he may be, Yuzuru-san was as dense as ever when it came to these types of things. The answer should have been obvious, but Touji knew that he really had to spell it out for Yuzuru-san. He reached out and pulled him in an embrace.

_"Really cunning," _Touji whispered against Yuzuru-san's ear. _"There's something I've wanted to tell you the entire time, Yuzuru-san, but I couldn't quite say it."_

_"What is it?"_

_"I love you." _Touji paused, then repeated for good measure, _"Yuzuru-san, I love you."_

There was a beat, in which Yuzuru-san seemed to be contemplating Touji's confession. Then he asked, _"More than Shino?"_

_"How is Shino related to this? You are seriously thickheaded, Yuzuru-san." _Touji paused for a while to let that sink in, but then because it was Yuzuru-san he was talking to, he knew he needed to make himself _very _clear. _"Yuzuru-san…I love you more than Shino…more than anyone…"_

The look in Yuzuru-san's face at that moment told Touji that he'd finally – _finally_ – gotten his feelings across.

_Seven days, _Touji mused, thinking about everything that happened the past week. At least he was right about one thing – seven days were enough to see what was inside his heart. Seven days were enough to fall in love.

"Hey, good morning."

Touji turned just in time to see Yuzuru-san striding towards him.

He smiled. "Good morning. You are very nearly late, Yuzuru-san."

"Heh," said Yuzuru-san, grinning, falling in step beside him. "Not as late as I would have been if you hadn't woken me up."

"It's a good thing I sent you that mail then."

"Yeah. I guess I should be grateful that I have you now."

Touji stopped, disarmed. Unlike him, Yuzuru-san had no problem saying things like that within an entirely normal conversation, without even noticing the impact his words had on Touji.

Really, it was…kind of cute.

"What?" Yuzuru-san asked, glancing at him.

Touji shook his head, summoning all the strength he had to say the words, deciding to take a shot at honesty just this once. "_I'm_ the one who's grateful to have you, Yuzuru-san."

"What did you just say?" Yuzuru-san called out. He was already a few steps away from Touji, and he'd obviously not heard a single word that was said. Touji felt his shoulders sagging.

"What? What?" Yuzuru-san raised an eyebrow at him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Touji muttered, jogging to catch up with him.

"Let's hurry up then. We're going to be late!"

"Yes…sorry…"

"What are you apologizing for, you idiot?"

"Uh, sorry—"

"Quit apologizing!" scolded Yuzuru-san, smacking him playfully on the head.

Touji caught his arm and laughed. "Yes sir."

Yuzuru-san smiled back at him, as they moved out of the station, treading the familiar path to school together.

A new week has begun.

_xxx _

_Seven Days _

_xxx_

**Monday, PM**

"Seryou-kun, I really like you a lot. Please go out with me."

Touji had already lost count of the number of times that he'd heard those words today. There were several variations of course, uttered in several different voices, at different points during the day, in several unlikely places, but the meaning was the same – they all wanted to go out with him. They have all professed that they were in love with him.

The long-haired girl in front of him right now was telling him the same thing. She was braver than the others, for she was staring straight into his eyes, not blushing and addressing her feet like the other girls had done. Touji had to give her credit for that, and it almost made him feel sorry that he had to let her down.

"Thank you, but I'm already seeing someone right now. I…I cannot accept your feelings. I'm truly sorry."

The girl's face fell in disappointment. She bowed down and mumbled "I see" in a defeated tone, cheeks reddening with embarrassment. Then she bade goodbye and ran off. But as she rounded the corner, Touji noticed a sort of blazing determination on her face, which didn't bode well for him at all. It seemed like—

"—she's going to try again, you know."

The words were plucked straight out of his head and uttered aloud. Touji turned around in surprise. Yuzuru-san was standing right behind him, looking alternately at him and the departing girl, a strange smile playing on his lips.

"Yuzuru-san…can you not do that? You surprised me."

"Heh, it's your fault for not paying attention."

"What are you doing here anyway?"

"I got tired of waiting," answered Yuzuru-san, shrugging. "And I know practice ended at least ten minutes ago. I was wondering what was taking you so long…"

"Oh, sorry about that. It's just…"

Yuzuru-san grinned, gesturing to the direction the girl had gone and asked, "So…what did you tell her?" At Touji's questioning look, he scowled. "Don't look at me like that. She asked you out, didn't she?"

"Well yes…but I refused."

"How many exactly did you have to refuse today?"

Touji paused, wondering why the question seemed so important. When Yuzuru-san continued to look at him, waiting for a response, Touji said vaguely, "A few."

The honest response would have been "a lot" but he didn't want to say it.

To his surprise, Yuzuru-san laughed. "You're being too modest, Seryou. I know it's more than that, right?"

Touji felt his face getting hot. "W-Why does it even matter?"

"Because it's proof that I was right not to wait," Yuzuru-san replied simply. "I _knew_ a lot of people would be pouncing on you when the week begins, so it's a good thing I already asked you out yesterday, right?"

Again, here was Yuzuru-san's knack of saying such disarming things so casually, in a tone that suggested that he was merely talking about the weather or some other equally mundane topic. It was one of the things Touji found rather cute about his upperclassman.

He chuckled. "'Pouncing'? Really, Yuzuru-san, you make it sound like I'm being hunted here…"

Yuzuru-san rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well, all things considered, with you agreeing to date anyone as long as they confess to you first…you _are _an easy prey, Seryou."

"D-Don't say it like that, Yuzuru-san." A reminder of his former habits was a bit difficult to digest, especially when such statements come from the person in front of him, whom he was now dating not because of some petty reason, but because of something Touji had thought he would never feel for anyone. Love. Touji loved him. "Besides…I didn't agree to go out with you because of that…"

But Yuzuru-san wasn't listening. He was still gazing pensively at the direction the girl had taken, muttering softly, "She's probably thinking that she'll have a chance next week. All of them – the people who asked you today…"

Touji didn't know what to say to that. His Mondays had always been a bit hectic in the past, with girls hounding his footsteps, racing each other to confess their alleged feelings for him. The rest of the week would be relatively peaceful, and then the cycle would begin anew as – left with no choice – he would end up breaking up again with whomever it was he was dating at the time.

Touji knew that it would take a lot of getting used to on his admirers' part to have him be officially unavailable for the rest of the term. Or for the rest of the year. Or for the rest of his life. Touji would miss neither the chaos of the girls vying for his attention, nor the seemingly unending process of dating and breaking up with them. He was seeing Yuzuru-san now, and it was a nice change from the lifestyle he'd gotten mired into for the past years.

"They're so persistent," Touji said in slight exasperation. "I guess I'll just have to tell them again until they stop asking."

"Yeah, I guess."

Touji was suddenly struck with a thought, but it was minutes later, when they were already a few blocks away from school that he managed to ask Yuzuru-san something that had started to bother him.

"Yuzuru-san?"

"Hmm?"

How should he put it? Touji hesitated before asking cautiously, "What about you? Didn't anyone confess to you today?"

"None," said Yuzuru-san, glancing curiously at him. "Why do you ask?"

Touji felt his face breaking into a relieved smile. "I just remembered, you know, that girl from last week…?"

"Oh, Sanae-chan? What about her?"

"Well…" Touji had been thinking that that girl might have tried to corner Yuzuru-san again, but it appeared that it wasn't so. It sounded illogical now that he thought about it, but Touji felt more reassured now that he'd asked. "I just thought that she'd try again…"

Yuzuru-san seemed to be casting his mind back to what happened the past week. "I don't think she will. I think I made it perfectly clear that I wasn't interested." He made a face. "But you know, even if I wasn't seeing anyone right then, I wouldn't have accepted her feelings anyway."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"Because I'm not the person she thinks I am. I think she's in love with her idea of me, rather than, you know, _me_." Yuzuru-san looked at him, his gaze, penetrating. "Am I making sense?"

Touji nodded.

"I told her," Yuzuru-san continued softly, averting his eyes to the horizon, "that I was already seeing somebody else. A special person. Someone who told me that I was okay just the way I am." He caught Touji's eye and grinned. "She never bothered me since then."

Touji stopped, the blood rising to his cheeks once again. How could Yuzuru-san be so cavalier about things like this? How could he say such perfect things without the slightest trace of embarrassment? But then Touji guessed that it must be Yuzuru-san's innate sense of candor that made him speak his mind so effortlessly, with little regard to modesty. It was strange, that this trait Yuzuru-san possesses had apparently turned girls off, when it was the very thing that drew Touji more and more to his upperclassman. The discrepancy between Yuzuru-san's face and his personality was something Touji deemed to be cute rather than aversive.

"Seryou? You spaced out."

Touji gave a start. "Huh? Oh, sorry."

Yuzuru-san regarded him with a meaningful smile. "Well, at any rate, you don't have to worry about me. I don't usually go for anyone just because they have confessed they like me…unlike _some_ people here."

Touji paused, not sure whether he was being chastised or warned, but much as he wanted to defend himself, he couldn't come up with a valid justification for his actions. Besides, it _was_ true to some extent. He'd gone out with innumerable people he didn't even know just because they told him they wanted to date him.

Yuzuru-san's laughter rang out of the blue, and Touji realized that he was merely being teased. "Don't take it so seriously, Seryou."

"Well, you made it sound like I was going to cheat on you, Yuzuru-san," said Touji, feeling slightly disgruntled.

"I know you wouldn't," Yuzuru-san said lightly. "I was told that you are the perfectly faithful type."

"Eh? Who told you that?"

"Koike-chan." Yuzuru-san's smile vanished. "Don't tell me she was mistaken?"

It was Touji's turn to laugh. "No, no. But Yuzuru-san, aren't you being a little too unfair here?"

"Unfair?"

"You're getting quite a lot of information about me from others," explained Touji, "while I still don't know that much about you."

It was true. While he did find out a lot of interesting things about his upperclassman in a span of one week – his propensity for sleeping, his passion for archery, his closeness to his little sister – Touji knew there were still a lot of blanks to fill in.

Yuzuru-san was shaking his head in disagreement. "I don't think that I know more about you than you do about me. These things I hear from others, they're not really _you_, right? But it's really a coincidence that you said that. Yesterday, I was thinking that I didn't really know much about you either." Yuzuru-san's face suddenly lit up. "Well, there's only one way to do it then. What about it, Seryou? Want to go on another date?"

Touji's steps faltered once again in surprise, but then he thought that he should really get used to this. Yuzuru-san would never be anything other than impulsive and unpredictable and really, really cute.

"I'd like that," Touji answered, smiling, "I'd like that a lot."

And the day ended on that note, with a plan and a promise to see each other again the following day.

Touji couldn't wait for tomorrow to come.

_xxx_

_To be continued_

_xxx_


	2. Tuesday

**The Week After**

_xxx _

_Seven Days_

_xxx_

**Tuesday, AM**

_"Where are you?"_

The message reeked with a sense of growing impatience, with a trace of eagerness that Touji took to mean that the sender just couldn't wait to see him. To be with him. It made him smile to think of Yuzuru-san, his mind conjuring a vision of his senior standing by the store corner near the train station, perhaps scanning the crowd for any sign of Touji.

The thought that his chronically late upperclassman – and now the person he was dating – would be waiting for him like so, was a treat indeed. Yuzuru-san tended to oversleep most of the time, and Touji had taken it upon himself to wake the former with good-morning mails every single day. It was a habit that started with the girls he'd dated before, and several break-ups later, he'd never really shaken it off. But it was only right now – with Yuzuru-san – that it evolved into a caring gesture rather than just a mandatory routine.

_"Hey, you _are_ coming, right?"_

Touji's smile broadened at the next message. It was a miracle that Yuzuru-san actually got to the meeting place first, not to mention that he even pried himself out of bed without a wake-up message from Touji. Maybe Yuzuru-san was excited. Wasn't it he who asked Touji out on a date today? _Date. _Touji's heart soared at the word. It was for this reason that he'd been too keyed up last night that he hadn't been able to sleep well at all. In the end, he missed the alarm and woke up to a barrage of messages from his extremely impatient upperclassman.

Oh well, Touji decided, slinging his bag over one shoulder. A demanding Yuzuru-san was still kind of cute. The smile never leaving his face, he started formulating a short reply, but even before he could get to the end of one word, a third message came in. Touji quickly opened it to see what it contained.

_"Don't make me go there and get you."_

At this, Touji could no longer hold it in. He burst into a peal of laughter, feeling so incredibly pleased with the world. It was strange to be so…so _high_…about this sort of thing, but wasn't this what he'd been looking for? This wondrous, buoyant feeling? Love?

His phone blared noisily, and seeing the caller's name, Touji immediately answered.

"Yuzuru-san?" His own voice sounded weird to his ears. It was as though he was singing the name, not speaking it.

"Well?" came an irate voice from the other end. "Where the hell are you? You do remember what day it is?"

People would never believe how crass Yuzuru-san could be at times. Not that Touji had any complaints, of course. Yuzuru-san's face – his breathtakingly beautiful face – belied his impetuous nature, and this was a fact Touji both knew and liked.

"I'm sorry," Touji answered, unable to stop himself from sounding so cheerful. "I woke up late."

"I told you not to laugh when you're apologizing!"

Touji barely managed to contain a chuckle. "Yes, I know. I'm on my way now."

There was a grumbling sound from the other end. "Geez, waking up late today of all days!"

"I was…" Touji faltered. He was near the main door already and the hallway was deserted as always. Still, he couldn't help but look around him to ensure he was alone before continuing softly, "I was actually looking forward to today."

"Nice to hear that you're finally enthusiastic about this. You didn't seem to care so much before."

"Huh?"

It was a strange thing to say. Did he ever show that he was less than thrilled about going out with Yuzuru-san?

"Well the guys would be happy to hear you say that," Yuzuru-san went on, jerking Touji back to earth. "You looked so miserable last week, they all thought you were going to quit. And it would really be a shame, you know."

The first sentence made Touji's brow crease with confusion, and the succeeding ones only served to turn his bewilderment into apprehension. He was missing something here.

"Yuzuru-san?" he said tentatively. "Uh…we _are_ meeting today, aren't we?"

"Seryou," Yuzuru-san responded severely, "why do you think am I waiting for you?"

"O-Of course," said Touji, feeling rather foolish. "So I'll see you by the store?"

"What? What are you talking about? I'm in front of the dojo."

Touji hesitated, taking a moment to absorb that. The…dojo? What on earth…?

"Hurry up, okay?" Yuzuru-san's voice came again, and now that Touji listened closely, he could hear the chattering buzz of several people conversing in the background. "Practice already started."

It was then that Touji understood. Archery practice. He slowed down, all sense of urgency and excitement vanishing into thin air. In his eagerness the day before at having been asked to a date, Touji hadn't bothered to inquire about specifics. Like the itinerary, for instance. He'd merely assumed that they'd meet and spend the day together. But from the conversation just now, it would appear that Yuzuru-san had no intention whatsoever of making Touji skip club practice. Touji couldn't explain to himself why he'd also missed the fact that Yuzuru-san would be attending practice today.

"I better get going," said Yuzuru-san. "And since you're obviously going to be here late, you better come prepared."

Touji could feel something inside him deflating, as though the happy bubble inside his chest had been unceremoniously punctured. Okay, he thought in an attempt to console himself, he could deal with this. Off to club practice first, and then they'd have the rest of the day to themselves.

"Seryou? You still there?"

Touji started. "Y-Yeah. I guess I'll see you there, Yuzuru-san."

"See you."

"Ah, Yuzuru-san!"

"Yes?"

Touji wavered. He wanted to ask what Yuzuru-san had planned after club practice, but he choked on his words before he could say them aloud. Panic started to creep in the next instant, as he realized that he didn't actually know how to phrase his question without sounding so pushy. He stuttered, "Ah…er…about later…?"

"Yeah, see you later, Seryou."

Ah, that wasn't it! Touji sighed in disappointment, but he didn't put up any resistance when Yuzuru-san finally ended the call. He wished for once that Yuzuru-san would be a little less dense, but that was like hoping for the sun to alter its course and rise in the west instead. There were just some things that were so…fixed. Stubbornly resistant to change. But where Yuzuru-san was concerned, these were things Touji could deal with just fine. These little quirks – flaws to some perhaps – were traits Touji had known, had accepted. Small details that were part and parcel of the person Touji had fallen in love with.

Sheesh…he was getting too worked up about something so insignificant. He'd better attend practice and get that over and done with. Archery was the farthest thing from his mind right now, but if just for the sake of pleasing Yuzuru-san…

The thought trailed away and merged into several others, all similarly-themed, with Yuzuru-san at the core. Touji indulged himself in his imaginations, lost in a world of his own making, not paying much attention to where his feet were taking him. It was when he had just stepped out of the train that he was forcibly roused from his musings by his phone ringing for a second time.

"Yuzuru-san?" Touji answered without thinking, giving the screen a perfunctory glance. He stiffened when a shrill voice answered, and it was only then that he realized his mistake.

"It's me, Touji. Don't tell me you've deleted my number? That's _so_ mean!"

"Shino," Touji said, both in surprise and recognition. "What…what do you want?"

"Where are you?" Shino demanded, "Drive over here right now. Pick me up at—"

"Wait, what?" Touji interrupted, unable to believe that he was on the receiving end of _this_ call once again. He'd have thought that as soon as Shino and his brother got back together, she'd stop calling him with silly demands like this. Besides, Touji had resolved not to entertain any more of Shino's calls, hadn't he? He'd even deleted her number already…

"I said, drive over here and pick me—"

"No," Touji said firmly, not bothering to ask where 'here' was. "I can't. I have club practice."

"Oh please," said Shino dismissively. "Since when do you care about that?"

"And I have to go somewhere afterwards," Touji went on, ignoring the jibe. "I can't meet you."

"Then come over tonight," Shino persisted. "I never see you nowadays—"

Now that wasn't true. They'd just seen each other last week! They'd even talked to each other over the phone prior to that, and Touji had clearly told her that he wouldn't be answering any more of her calls because he'd found someone he liked more than her.

"Shino," Touji cut in, weary of the girl's attitude. He knew she understood more than she let on, but it was just like her to keep insisting on what she wanted despite Touji's refusal. She had always been like this. She was that girl who did what she wanted regardless of the consequences.

"I'm seeing someone right now, Shino," Touji said. "I can't meet with you anymore."

"That again?" Shino's tone held a note of derision. "You'll break up anyway, so what's the big dea—"

"It's the same person," Touji explained quietly. "From last week. Remember the one I told you about?"

"Oh." Shino fell silent for once. Then she exclaimed, as though she just remembered something, "Oh! The beautiful upperclassman?"

"Yes."

"The one called Yuzuru."

He felt a bristle of annoyance at her familiarity. "Shino…"

"Oh, I want to meet him. I haven't had a chance to really talk to him though. He ran away last time, right?"

Touji struggled to maintain his composure, deciding to change the topic. "Shino, why are you calling me? Why don't you call Aniki?"

Shino didn't answer – a very ominous sign. Touji stopped and stared out into the horizon. He ventured when Shino still didn't respond, "I see. You fought again, didn't you?"

"It wasn't my fault," Shino sniffed. "Natsuki is such a jerk!"

Touji rubbed his forehead in combined pity and frustration. He didn't have time for this. He was already running late. He didn't want to ask what the argument was all about this time. He didn't want to know. He didn't have any right to know.

"You should talk to him more," he urged. "Just…go talk to him. I'm sure everything would turn out fine."

"Natsuki is an idiot!" Shino declared tearfully. "An idiot!"

"You love him," Touji reminded her. "More than anyone."

"I know," Shino relented, voice quavering. "It's just that I can't bear it. I see him with somebody else and I just can't…Ugh! This is so hard! I want to trust him like he says I should, but I just _can't_! What is wrong with me?"

Touji listened silently, unable to summon the energy to even feel resentful at having been relegated to this task yet again. He had played the role of Shino's confidant for such a long time, even before, during, and after they dated. He was never anything more in Shino's eyes but her boyfriend's little brother. Touji knew he would never be more than that.

"Of course you can't," Touji answered soothingly. "If you break something, you can't expect it to function as well as that moment when it was still whole. It takes time to put together something that was destroyed, and it's no use pretending that there's a quick fix for everything because there isn't. Give it time, Shino."

Shino took a moment to respond, crying uncontrollably for the next few minutes. Touji listened to her sobs as he slowly made his way down the road. Finally, she subsided and said weakly, "If you say so…I'll try my best."

There was a brief pause at the other end of the line, where all Touji heard was more sniffing. And then seeming to pull herself together, Shino laughed and added in a lighter tone, "You've become quite mature, haven't you, Touji? Giving me advice like this? I feel like you've grown up so much in the past week."

Had he? If that was true, there was only one reason. Touji smiled. The campus was within sight, and from where he was, he could just see the target range. Yuzuru-san was there. He couldn't wait to see him.

"I guess it pays off that you're dating someone older," Shino teased.

Touji didn't know how to respond to that. It seemed awkward to point out that this wasn't the first time that he'd gone out with someone older than he was. Shino herself fitted into that category. And yet, for him to change so much in a short span of time, Touji knew that it didn't have anything to do with differences in age. It was something deeper than that.

"But still," Shino went on, cutting through Touji's thoughts, "come out and play once in a while, okay Touji? Bring Yuzuru-kun along. It'll be fun."

Touji highly doubted that and he told Shino so.

"There's no need to get all cranky now," Shino said, giggling. Her rate of recovery from such emotional outbursts had always been amazingly quick, and even as she continued jabbering about how she'd like to have dinner with Touji and his boyfriend in the immediate future, she bore no signs whatsoever of the distress she'd conveyed earlier.

Touji shook his head. She hadn't changed one bit. She was unpredictable, like Yuzuru-san, but in a different and not entirely pleasant way. She'd vacillate between extremes of spite and charm in one go, being so irresistibly sweet in one moment and then turning unbearably bitter in the next. There were times when Touji couldn't even decide whether he liked or hated her. Those two feelings were always inextricably linked together whenever he thought of Shino.

"I have to go," Touji said, not deigning to remark on the girl's last statement. "Go talk to my brother already."

"Whatever," Shino replied flippantly. "Love you, Touji!"

Touji hang up without answering. Love. What a careless thing to say. There was a time when Touji was confused by it, easily flattered by such an offhand declaration. But he knew better now. Love. That word, that feeling – he'd heard it from a lot of girls since Shino, but it never seemed to amount to anything. It never seemed to mean anything. At least not until last week…

_"I love you, Seryou."_

In his ears, Yuzuru-san's voice was as clear as though he was speaking to Touji right then and there. And just like the very first time that Touji had heard those words from his upperclassman, he felt as though he was…flying. He felt so lighthearted, free from any worries, and for that fleeting moment, Touji understood what it truly meant to be happy.

_Beep!_

Touji paused, the phone claiming his attention once again. A message? He hesitated before opening it, knowing who it was from.

_"Don't be such a spoilsport, Touji. I'll call you again. (^v^)"_

Touji stared at the message, exasperated. Shino…why wouldn't she take him seriously? He reread the message with a mixture of fondness and regret, and then before he could change his mind, he pressed a few selected buttons. A message popped up.

_Delete message?_

His thumb hovered over a button, pushing down resolutely.

_Yes._

A new message filled the screen.

_Confirm delete?_

_'Goodbye Shino_,_' _Touji thought, and with a last look at the mail and a final smile in remembrance of the time they'd spent together, he pressed his chosen key.

_Yes._

Touji stared long enough to confirm that the action was executed, and then he pocketed his phone and made his way to school, to the Archery Club, where Yuzuru-san was waiting.

_xxx _

_Seven Days_

_xxx_

_'Scary_,' Touji mused inwardly as he took his place beside the other freshmen for target practice.

He was already dressed and appropriately geared for the activity, bow in hand and an arrow in the other. He broke his stance for a second to smile apologetically at a certain upperclassman who was currently glowering at him from across the room. But for his perceived negligence of the activity at hand, Yuzuru-san's scowl merely deepened, transmitting his disapproval in no uncertain terms. Touji winced.

_'Really scary,' _he decided. Well, he'd better do his best then if he were to earn Yuzuru-san's forgiveness. Touji took a deep breath, concentrating on what he was about to do. He nocked an arrow, gripped the string, and raised the bow. He drew and aimed, one eye fixed unblinkingly on the target, and without a shred of doubt in his mind, he released the arrow.

The projectile whistled through the air, finding its mark in the next instant, hitting the center of the target with a resounding _thud!_

Touji waited for the signal and repeated the sequence – nock and draw, aim and release.

_Thud!_

_Thud!_

_Thud!_

His arrows found the target easily enough, and even without the appreciative murmurs and applause that followed, Touji knew that he had done exceptionally well. But as it were, there was only one validation that mattered to him. Touji turned to Yuzuru-san's direction and this time around, he was immediately rewarded with a smile – grudging and exasperated perhaps, but one that was meant only for him. Touji felt all tension melting away, warmth spreading from his chest to the rest of his body. With a simple gesture, he knew at once that he'd already been forgiven.

"It seems like you've calmed down, Seryou," the club adviser remarked, nodding approvingly. "Good for you."

Touji grimaced, recalling his abysmal performance the previous week. He bowed slightly to acknowledge the praise.

"You are young," the adviser continued. "Consistency is something that you must strive for." The man nodded to himself and smiled unexpectedly. "In any case, you seemed to have found something to keep your heart tranquil. Hold on to that."

"Y-Yes sir," Touji muttered, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden. He wheeled around, returned to his place, and kept his head bowed. A tranquil heart, huh? Touji glanced up and stole a quick look at Yuzuru-san. Their eyes met briefly before Touji hurriedly averted his gaze to his hands. How odd. How can a heart be tranquil when it was hammering too fast that he couldn't even breathe?

The thought occupied him for some time that he scarcely noticed what was happening around him for the next few minutes. He was vaguely aware of the adviser's announcements at the end of the practice session, and of a second year adding something else. He heard the other freshmen muttering excitedly to one another in response to this, although Touji didn't catch what the fuss was all about. At any rate, he didn't feel any particular need to be involved. He regretted his inattention a while later, when the adviser called out his name and the other club members started clapping.

"Good work, Seryou!"

"Congratulations!"

"Do your best, Seryou-kun!"

Touji took the club members' applause with an uncomprehending look. He caught Yuzuru-san's eye, noting the delighted expression that lit his upperclassman's face. He seemed so pleased for some reason. '_What_,' Touji wondered with trepidation, '_was going on?'_

"Good work, everyone," the adviser called out. "That would be all then. We wish all the applicants the best of luck."

Touji felt as though he had just missed something important. He intended to ask Yuzuru-san on the way to the locker room, but before he could inquire about the mysterious announcement, a group of first years converged around him and blocked his way. A second year – Tajiri-senpai, if he recalled correctly – led the charge.

"Amazing, Seryou-kun!" Tajiri-senpai gushed enthusiastically. "You're the only freshman to be shortlisted. Well done!"

Shortlisted. The word did not bode well.

"As expected," chimed another. "You're really good at everything, aren't you?"

"I'm a bit jealous," said a guy whose name Touji didn't even know. "You don't even attend practice that often!"

"Though lately, Seryou-kun has been attending regularly," said a girl in defense.

"Yeah," Tajiri-senpai affirmed. "Because he'll be scolded if he doesn't, right, Seryou-kun?"

"Oooh…scolded by whom?"

"His girlfriend?"

"Maybe. Speaking of which, who's the lucky girl this week?"

Everyone was chattering about him without actually including him in the exchange. Touji took this in with resignation. No matter how much he tried to keep a low profile, his name still kept cropping up in the other students' conversations. It was just a bit strange to be listening to people swapping gossips about him when he was standing right there. It was vexing, and not to mention extremely uncomfortable.

"Okay, that's enough. Stop bothering Seryou."

The club members all complied, and Touji turned gratefully to the person who had spoken. Yuzuru-san had joined the awkward discussion, and a word from a much-admired and respected upperclassman was more than adequate to make everyone obey. Yuzuru-san beamed at the group.

"Actually, _I'm_ the one who's going to scold Seryou if he doesn't do his best."

Touji couldn't help but smile. It was so like Yuzuru-san to say something like that upfront.

"So _that's_ it!" exclaimed Tajiri-senpai. "That's so unfair, Shino-senpai!"

"Yeah!" another agreed. "Why does it have to be Seryou-kun only?"

"She's right. A senior shouldn't play favorites!"

This time, it was Yuzuru-san who was being heckled. Touji tried very hard to contain his amusement at this turn of events. Yuzuru-san, however, seemed untroubled by the other students' complaints.

"Well, I like Seryou," he said offhandedly, "More than anyone."

Touji stared in amazement. What the…? How could he…? Why did he…? And then before he could stop himself, he was laughing – and he wasn't the only one who was doing so. The others joined in, evidently entertained.

"You shouldn't say things like that, Shino-senpai," Tajiri-senpai chided, although the rebuke lost much of its impact by the gleeful expression on her face. She chuckled, voice trilling with merriment. "Although you and Seryou-kun – you two _do_ look good together."

"We do?" Yuzuru-san was laughing too. He cast an appraising look in Touji's direction and winked. "That's a good thing, then, isn't it, Seryou?"

Touji nodded in agreement, smiling. Everyone obviously thought it was just a joke, but then, what did it matter anyway? The only person he needed to be serious about it was Yuzuru-san, and Touji knew beyond any doubt that the former was truly invested in their relationship.

"What's this?" The club adviser had approached, peering curiously at them from behind his spectacles. "So Shino is the reason for our errant member's sudden participation in club activities?" His gaze flitted from Touji to Yuzuru-san, and there was something in the way his eyes twinkled that made Touji feel that the man understood what was really going on. "If I'd known that you'd be so convincing, Shino, I'd have asked you to recruit more members from the very start."

"But Sensei," Tajiri-senpai put in, "isn't it because of Shino-senpai that we've gained so many members?"

"Tajiri-senpai herself joined because of Shino-senpai," a girl jested, giggling behind her hands.

"Hey! You did, too, remember?"

The girl blushed. "Well I couldn't help it, could I? Shino-senpai just looks _so_ cool! He's so beautiful and—"

"Girls!" a guy muttered, shaking his head in exasperation. "Joining a club for such a shallow reason…"

Touji saw it coming, but apparently, the loose-lipped freshman didn't. The girls flared up, rounding up on the poor guy and screeching in unison, "What did you say?!"

Touji watched the unfortunate guy's futile attempts to get himself out of the hole he had just dug for himself. And then taking advantage of the other students' preoccupation, he sidled over to Yuzuru-san's side and whispered, "Should we go ahead?"

Yuzuru-san looked mildly reproachful. "Weren't you listening earlier? All applicants have to stay behind for the screening. That includes you. Do your best, okay?"

Touji blinked in confusion and finally managed to ask, "What was I supposed to be doing my best about?"

"The try-outs for the club representatives. You know, for the Division Competition." Yuzuru-san clapped him on the shoulder. "You're the only freshman in the list, so try very hard to get a spot."

So _that_'s what this was all about? Touji considered this for a moment, and perhaps sensing his hesitation, Yuzuru-san frowned at him.

"What's with that face?" he demanded. "You could at least look happy about it."

"I have to stay behind?" Touji clarified. "Will it take long?"

Yuzuru-san raised an eyebrow. "What? You have other plans for today?"

"No, no," Touji denied, shaking his head for emphasis. "I made sure to keep my schedule free for today."

"Perfect. Go to the tryouts, then."

Touji paused. Something was wrong here. He had a nagging suspicion as to what was going on, but he dared not entertain the idea until he could be absolutely sure. But he knew it was going to be very disappointing either way.

"It's the least you could do," Yuzuru-san huffed, "for coming in late again."

"Sorry. I've forgotten all about practice," Touji confessed. "I was thinking of…of other things…" He couldn't say the word 'date' aloud, and he didn't dare bring it up amid the other students around them. Besides, after carefully scrutinizing Yuzuru-san's face, Touji's suspicion was confirmed without more ado. His scatter-brained senior had completely forgotten about their plans for today.

"Geez," Yuzuru-san observed, "How irresponsible, Seryou."

Touji thought it a bit absurd for Yuzuru-san, who was the epitome of recklessness, to be lecturing him on responsibility. But then, when it came to archery, Yuzuru-san had never been anything but conscientious. Touji made a face. It seemed that archery trumps everything else in Yuzuru-san's book – everything including a date with Touji. He guessed he'd have to learn to accept that.

"Seryou?"

Touji rearranged his features into a hasty smile. He couldn't let Yuzuru-san down now, could he?

"Okay then," Touji gave in, pleading with his eyes. "But will you come and watch, Yuzuru-san? I'll do my best if you're here."

Yuzuru-san grinned at him and nodded. "Of course."

Touji smiled back. For a guy who looked outwardly like every girl's ideal man, Yuzuru-san was notoriously forgetful and even unintentionally callous at times. But somehow, when Yuzuru-san returned the smile and agreed to his request, Touji found himself forgiving these tiny instances of imperfection. These traits of his were troublesome, true, but these were also the same characteristics that made Yuzuru-san who he was.

And for some strange reason, Touji was perfectly content with that.

_xxx _

_Seven Days _

_xxx_

**Tuesday, PM**

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Yuzuru knew he didn't have any right to complain, and that it was his fault to start with, but he couldn't help himself regardless. The tryouts were over. Seryou passed with flying colors, and after evading the throng of girls who also stayed behind to cheer him on, they were finally able to leave the club at a quarter past four. It was somewhere along the road from the campus to the train station that Yuzuru remembered. He'd asked Seryou on a date today, hadn't he?

Yuzuru had whined and grumbled, scolding the younger boy for failing to remind him that they'd made plans for today. As always though, Seryou merely smiled sheepishly at him and assured him in a placid voice that it was alright. Yuzuru had to hand it to the guy for always managing to look so untroubled. If this had happened the other way around, if it were Seryou who'd forgotten an invitation or broken a promise, Yuzuru wouldn't have been able to hide his displeasure. On the other hand, if things had happened that way, he wouldn't have kept quiet. He would have given Seryou a piece of his mind with hardly a moment to lose. Not for the first time, Yuzuru wished that Seryou would be just a little more outspoken.

"Well there's nothing to be done about it," Seryou told him mildly. "You'd just have to make it up to me, Yuzuru-san."

Sometimes, it was so easy for him to forget that Seryou was younger than he was. There were certain moments – like this one for instance – when Yuzuru felt as though he was dealing with someone older, someone more mature. Sometimes, Yuzuru couldn't even believe that such a quiet, gentle person had actually fallen for him. It annoyed him to no end to think that Seryou's personality clashed discordantly with his own, and that on paper, nobody in their right minds would put the two of them together. It angered him to be confronted with the possibility that – no matter how much he wished for it to be so – he wouldn't be a good fit for someone like Seryou after all.

"No way," he answered brusquely, incensed at the very idea. "If you really wanted to go, you'd have told me so."

Seryou's smile wavered a little. "That's not fair, Yuzuru-san. You're the one who forgot all about it."

"You're the one who remembered," Yuzuru retorted. "Why didn't you just remind me?"

Seryou was pouting now. "But I tried and I…"

Yuzuru waited for the rest of it, but Seryou trailed away and left everything to his imagination. It was infuriating to have to speculate what the other boy was thinking all the time. He guessed that he _should_ know, but his mind wasn't made for processing the intricacies of another person's body language. He was hopeless at interpreting another person's statements or actions, and even if he tried, he knew he was bound to get the wrong idea anyway. Hadn't Seryou himself told him that he was slow? Yuzuru knew that subtlety was altogether lost on him, and that he wouldn't be able to understand a thing if it wasn't shoved right under his nose and spelled out in bold, capital letters. Surely Seryou must find him an utter pain to be with.

Yuzuru looked away, his temper flaring, as it always did when he'd find himself feeling uncertain about something. It was his fault, he knew it, and he told himself that he should just be thankful to Seryou for being so forgiving. But it was hard not to hate himself for his lapses, especially considering that one little slip might disillusion Seryou in some way, as what happened to the girls he'd dated before. Yuzuru didn't want to disappoint him, but like it or not, he'd already done so.

_"I was actually looking forward to today."_

Yuzuru remembered the phone call earlier and a wave of guilt washed over him. He cursed himself for being seriously thickheaded, but he couldn't help it any more than he could stop being himself. He could be dreadfully absentminded, but that was just who he was, and the fact that Seryou could overlook these flaws was something that never ceased to amaze him.

"Yuzuru-san?" Seryou was staring at him anxiously. "Are you mad at me?"

Yuzuru's anger abated at this sight. Seryou was right – he was being unfair. He shouldn't make Seryou feel bad about this when it was clearly his mistake to begin with.

"I'm not mad at you," Yuzuru finally muttered, not knowing any other way to express himself other than to be blunt. "I just hate myself for forgetting something like this. I don't like making people feel neglected."

Seryou, as usual, regarded him with a look that plainly said that he understood. "I guess I'm as much to blame. I really should have said something. Although…"

"Although what?" Yuzuru prodded.

"Although it doesn't really matter now, right? We didn't get to go anywhere, but at the end of the day, we still did stuff together." Seryou flashed him a smile. "It's kind of like being on a date, isn't it?"

Yuzuru had never developed the habit of running things through his head before speaking them aloud. It was because of this that he went with the very first thought that darted across his mind in response to what Seryou had just said.

"You really are a masochist," he sniggered. "Seriously, do you enjoy getting your hopes crushed that much?"

"Y-Yuzuru-san!" Seryou cried in protest, turning faintly pink in the face. "Stop calling me that."

"Mas-och-ist," Yuzuru repeated, enunciating each syllable.

"Yuzuru-san!"

He laughed at his companion's mortified expression. "But it's true," he pointed out, "In any case, that's what I like about you."

Seryou's jaw dropped, and he looked ridiculously dumbfounded. He stared at his feet, eyes fluttering shut for a moment. And then he said so softly that Yuzuru almost didn't catch it, "Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for?" Yuzuru asked, a bit surprised at the boy's reaction. "You're weird, you know that?"

Seryou didn't answer. Yuzuru examined the boy curiously. For someone who had everything – striking looks, money, and popularity – it was strange how Seryou could still be so self-conscious about a lot of things. Yuzuru thought that it was part of the boy's charm. After all, one wouldn't usually find such an unassuming nature in other people from a similar background. Seryou was just a well-bred young man – refined, polite, and very efficient in nearly everything he does. In sum, he was Yuzuru's exact opposite. Could people like them who had nothing in common really work out as a couple?

He sighed glumly. He'd concluded before that one week was enough for him to fall in love, but he was now realizing that it wasn't remotely a sufficient amount of time to really get to know another person. He'd known enough of Seryou to decide that he liked the younger boy very much, but he would have to admit that there were still a lot of questions to be asked and answered. Their date should have been the first of a series of steps to get to know the other better, and Yuzuru had just ruined that.

Well, it wasn't too late to rectify the matter, was it?

"Hey Seryou?" Yuzuru asked, "You don't have to be home early, do you?" Seryou shook his head. Yuzuru glanced at his phone, noting the time. "We can still do something," he decided after a moment's consideration. "Come on, I'll buy you ramen."

Seryou's face brightened up. "You really like ramen, Yuzuru-san?"

"Yes. What about you? What's your favorite food by the way?"

Seryou told him, and after that, they found themselves talking non-stop about the smallest things. Their favorite colors. Movies they'd enjoyed watching. Subjects they liked. Books they'd read. It was a mish-mash of details that they'd missed asking each other the previous week, an accumulation of questions that were left unasked and unsaid because the time didn't allow it.

They kept quizzing each other about the most mundane aspects of one another's lives, all the way to the train station and up until they reached the ramen booth. In between gulps of hot soup and mouthfuls of noodles, they swapped anecdotes about school, their classmates, and the teachers. They talked about their families for a little while, as they traversed the crowded streets into a nearby shopping center. They shared stories about virtually anything else they could think of, as they continued to wander aimlessly up and down the aisles.

The stories sated a desire in him, a thirst for knowledge that Yuzuru had never felt before. In the same way that food quelled his hunger, the things Seryou told him satisfied a compulsive need to find out everything he could about the person he was with, the person he loved.

Yuzuru had dated his fair share of girls, and yet he'd never been this interested with any of them. In fairness to him, he was never the one who initiated anything. It was always the girls who'd confess to him and ask him to go out with them. Yuzuru himself had only ever confessed to one person, and that was Seryou.

All things considered, _this_ was his first real relationship, and if this was what a relationship should be, Yuzuru was more than happy to nourish it however way he could.

"Yuzuru-san?"

Yuzuru gave a start, realizing that he'd spaced out. "Uh, sorry. What were you saying?"

"I was asking where you would like to go next," said Seryou. "If you're tired, I could walk you home. It _is_ getting late."

"Ever the gentleman, aren't you?" Yuzuru laughed. "No. _I'd_ walk _you_ home. You're more likely to run into trouble in the dark."

"Oh…are you going to protect me then, Yuzuru-san?"

"If I had my bow," Yuzuru said thoughtfully, "I could probably shoot one or two troublemakers for you."

Seryou made a face. "That's morbid, Yuzuru-san."

"I was kidding. Besides, the most unfortunate thing we'd ever meet on the way would probably be your fan club."

"That's unlikely," said Seryou. "I don't think they know where I live."

"You've never taken any of your girlfriends home?" Yuzuru asked.

"No."

"Really?" Yuzuru couldn't stop himself from grinning. "Heh…so I'm the only one who's seen where you live? That's nice to hear."

Seryou gave him a strange look that seemed part embarrassment and part childish delight. He scratched the back of his head in an uncharacteristically unrefined manner. "W-well…if you say so, Yuzuru-san. Would you like to come ov—?"

The unfinished question made Yuzuru think at once of a curly-haired girl in a frilly dress, and a single name echoed through his head. Shino. Since Yuzuru felt neither the desire nor the inclination to see her again, his answer hadn't changed.

"No way."

Seryou's face fell. "Yuzuru-san…"

The boy might have been trying to convince him, but Yuzuru obstinately shook his head.

A half hour later, they were walking up the path towards Seryou's house. They had stopped talking altogether, and had now resorted to watching their surroundings in companionable silence. Yuzuru found the stillness relaxing, and he was a bit disappointed when the journey came to an inevitable end.

In another instant, the large gate leading to Seryou's house was looming over their heads. In his second time seeing it, Yuzuru was still very much impressed. He waited for Seryou to press the intercom and announce his arrival, but the boy merely stood by and stared at him.

"What's wrong?" Yuzuru asked.

Seryou smiled. "Thank you for today, Yuzuru-san."

"Heh…do you have to be so formal?"

Seryou didn't answer. He was still standing there, unmoving, looking like he was waiting for something. Yuzuru cocked his head inquiringly and shrugged when Seryou didn't speak again.

"Better get in," he said, drawing his jacket closer around himself. "It's getting cold."

"Yeah…I guess." Seryou seemed dejected, but he still smiled just the same. "Good night."

_'Here he goes again_,_'_ Yuzuru thought, _'Not saying things he wanted.' _Well, there was no other way for it.

"Seryou."

"Hmm?"

He was impulsive and hasty and maybe too crass for some people's tastes. Seryou was more restrained, thoughtful, and extremely careful with his words and actions. Maybe, Yuzuru considered as he pulled Seryou close and pressed his lips against the younger boy's, it wouldn't hurt to corrupt the boy a _little _bit, would it? Yuzuru held the kiss for a moment, smiling despite himself when Seryou recovered from his surprise and finally responded.

"Yuzuru-san?" Seryou whispered when they pulled apart. "I…"

"This is what you wanted, right?" Yuzuru asked. "It wouldn't hurt to actually speak up once in a while, you know."

Even in the dark, he could see Seryou's face turning bright. "I…I understand." He cleared his throat and stepped closer. "Then…Yuzuru-san…once more?"

"Eh…what?"

"Kiss me once more."

That was fast, Yuzuru thought, a bit taken aback, and this time, it was his turn to blush. "Y-You don't have to say it as openly like that."

Seryou drew near, emboldened perhaps by Yuzuru's embarrassment. "How should I say it then?"

"Don't ask so freely," Yuzuru complained, and he would have gone on had Seryou not taken the initiative to cut him off with a second kiss.

With everything that happened that Tuesday, this was the one thing that Yuzuru remembered most clearly. It made him wonder what tomorrow would bring.

_xxx_

_To be continued_

_Xxx_

_Thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. Please read and review!_


	3. Wednesday Part 1

**The Week After**

_xxx _

_Seven Days _

_xxx_

**Wednesday, AM**

_How odd._

Yuzuru stopped, whirled around, and paused. His gaze locked in on a particular spot by the store corner, which was – for the first time this week – surprisingly empty. Unoccupied.

How strange. Seryou wasn't there.

Yuzuru craned his neck to see around the store corner, trying to take in as much as he could of his surroundings. Hmm…no tall, good-looking, dark-haired, high school student anywhere. He stepped back and brought out his cell phone. It was nearly time for school. Was Seryou going to be late? Yuzuru continued staring at the screen, wondering what to do next.

How weird. Seryou hadn't sent him a single message.

Yuzuru turned, and from the corner of his eyes, he spied a familiar group of girls clad in the Houka Academy uniform loitering near the store entrance. Like him, they were all glancing every so often at the corner, a hopeful look in their eyes. It seemed like they were all searching for the same person.

"Shino-senpai!" one of the girls called out as soon as she spotted him.

Yuzuru approached and smiled pleasantly. "Hey, good morning! Have you seen Seryou?"

The girl shook her head, and the others around her mirrored the movement. "Maybe he won't come? It's getting quite late."

"Hey, you don't think something happened to him, do you?" asked another.

"God, I hope not. But he's always been here early before…"

"What do you think, Shino-senpai?" asked the first girl. Everybody seemed in dire need of consolation, and all were staring expectantly at Yuzuru for a few encouraging words.

"He hasn't said anything about not being here," Yuzuru said, more to himself than to the girls. "I should probably call him…"

That was what he should have done from the start. He did find it strange that he woke up without Seryou's usual good-morning mail, and right then, he should have had an inkling that something wasn't right. He had meant to get in touch with Seryou, but he'd been preoccupied with something else that morning. His little sister had asked – no, ordered was more like it – him to run some errands for her after school.

"I have an important school project to finish," she'd told him during breakfast, brandishing her chopsticks threateningly before he had the chance to open his mouth to protest. "So help me out in the chores, will you, Yuzu-nii?"

Yuzuru knew his sister well enough to work out that it must be an extremely important project; otherwise, she wouldn't have delegated so many responsibilities to him all in one go. She knew how disorganized he was, and choosing him for these tasks must have been a last resort – a desperate measure, if you will.

But more to the point – how was he supposed to refuse her? She'd been working too hard, running the entire household on her own whenever their mother was away. Yuzuru was at least grateful of the fact that his sister had none of his unruliness, that at the very least, she was there to balance out his careless and carefree nature. God knows what a disaster it would have been if she had also turned out to be as negligent as her older brother.

"Shino-senpai."

In the blink of an eye – or so it had seemed to Yuzuru – he found himself backed up against the wall, completely surrounded by Seryou's fan club. Yuzuru tried in vain to look for an escape route, as the girls surveyed him with eyes that seemed to sparkle with an overabundance of eagerness.

"Eh…what is it?"

"You have Seryou-kun's number, Shino-senpai?" asked one of the girls.

"And mail address too?"

"Hey, Senpai…could we have Seryou-kun's numbe—?"

It was so sudden, so unexpected, that even Yuzuru himself was taken by surprise. A burst of an emotion surged straight through his being, and with it came a fierce sense of…of _ownership_. Before he could stop himself, he had lashed out, "No! No way!"

He caught himself after a second, seeing the shock in the girls' faces.

"Er…what I meant was…I'm sorry." He scratched his head and tried to look as contrite as he could. "I do have Seryou's number, but it isn't mine to give…so, sorry!"

"T-That's fine, Shino-senpai."

"Yeah…we didn't mean to force you."

An uncomfortable silence followed, dispelled only when one of the girls pointed out that it was nearly time for school and that they were all going to be late if they didn't leave right away. After much apologizing from both sides, the group departed, leaving Yuzuru alone to brood on what just happened. What was that? Why did he go all ballistic just because of some girl wanting to get Seryou's number? He hadn't minded before, when a girl he was dating gave her phone number to another guy. But then again, maybe _that_ was the reason she dumped him. Now that Yuzuru looked back at that moment, he was beginning to truly appreciate what an insensitive jerk he'd been to his past girlfriends. He really should've listened to Koike-chan more.

Ahh…things like these never fail to reduce his brain to mush. He couldn't think straight anymore. Yuzuru leaned back against the wall. It seemed like he'd been losing his temper more frequently nowadays. Was it because of Seryou…?

And getting back to his current problem – where was Seryou? He was just about to dial the boy's number when his cell phone buzzed demandingly, signaling an incoming call. Yuzuru noted the caller's name. Speaking of the devil…

"Seryou?" Yuzuru answered by way of greeting. "Where are you?"

"Yuzuru-san?" The voice that responded was almost unrecognizable. It sounded too low, gritty, pained almost. Yuzuru knew at once that something was wrong.

"What happened to you? And just so you know, I nearly got mugged by your fan club because you aren't here."

There was a strange noise that sounded like a chuckle. Seryou must have been laughing, but the tone was all too wrong, like Yuzuru was speaking to somebody else.

"I'm fine," Seryou managed to say. "I think it's just the flu."

"You think?" Yuzuru frowned. "Have you gone to a doctor?"

"Our family physician dropped by this morning. He wasn't entirely convinced either, but I'm sure that it's nothing serious. He did give me some medicine to take in…"

"So…you're not coming to school today?"

"Yes. I meant to send you a message earlier, but I—" The rest of his sentence was drowned by a loud, protracted cough. Whatever disease he'd contracted was clearly causing him an extreme amount of discomfort. Yuzuru felt an outpouring of concern for the boy.

"You sound terrible," Yuzuru observed. "Geez…was it because of yesterday? Did you stay out in the cold after I left?"

Seryou's response was punctuated with another round of coughing. "I just meant to…see that you got to…the main road…safely…"

"Idiot," Yuzuru huffed. "Getting sick just because of that."

"Sorry…for being such…a bother…Yuzuru-san."

"Why are you apologizing? You should get some rest."

"I…I will. Uh, Yuzuru-san?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you still in the station?"

"Yeah," Yuzuru answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Well," Seryou replied haltingly, "aren't you…going to be late…?"

"Oh crap!" Yuzuru's head swiveled towards the exit. The girls were already nowhere in sight. "I gotta go. I'll call you later, okay? Get well! Bye!"

He hung up without waiting for a reply, sprinting out of the station as fast as his feet could carry him.

Overall, it wasn't a very good way to start the day.

He came in a good fifteen minutes late for first period, earning a severe scolding from the teacher as well as a series of odd tasks to accomplish at the end of the day as his punishment. Yuzuru wondered sullenly whether Seryou received the same treatment for all those times that he came in late for school. Probably not. Seryou had that easy charm that would make it nearly impossible for even the most mean-spirited person to be mad at him. Whereas Yuzuru…well, he just wasn't that type who could smooth talk anyone into letting him off the hook. His friends often teased him that his face could melt the coldest of hearts, and that if he merely wanted to have his way around people, all he needed to do was keep his mouth shut and _not_ do anything else that'd give any indication that he wasn't the stoic and serious guy he seemed from the outside.

But of course, Yuzuru would never be able to manage that. If he had a little more ounce of self-control, he wouldn't be as thoughtless as he was. He wouldn't even be himself at all. At any rate, he was done trying to fit into a mold dictating what he should be just because he happened to be born with an attractive face. It wasn't fair for him and for those around him.

At least he'd met someone who was perfectly fine with who he was. He was glad that he'd found Seryou. His thoughts turned towards the boy. He wondered how Seryou was doing. It was a good thing he knew where Seryou lived. Perhaps he could pay him a visit on the way home…

The idea immediately drew a spate of conflicting scenarios. Firstly, he had to stay behind after school and report to the faculty room. Secondly, he had that list of errands that his sister had asked him to do, the first of which was to drop by the supermarket for groceries. And lastly…it wasn't as if he could go to Seryou's house if _she _was there.

Yuzuru's mood immediately soured at the thought of _that_ girl, the one he shared a name with. Shino. Yuzuru was almost sure that _she_ would be there, at Seryou's house. He had forgotten to ask Seryou what exactly she was doing there that time. Maybe she was a family friend or something? Still, why would she hang around there all the time? Surely she wasn't _living_ there, was she?!

Ugh! That did nothing but get his head so messed up! If that girl was there again, he didn't think he could stand it. But what should he do? It wasn't as if he could barge into the Seryou residence just like that. Wait a second…he _did_ have a right to go. He was going out with Seryou, wasn't he? It should be perfectly natural for him to pay the boy a visit.

"Hey Shino!"

Yuzuru looked up, taking an unusually long moment to recognize his own name. Utsumi was by the door, staring at him. Looking around, Yuzuru noticed that the classroom was already empty save for him.

"What are you looking all depressed for?" Utsumi asked. "Come on. We need to go."

Oh! They were supposed to change classrooms now, right?

"Ah c-coming!" Yuzuru called out, flustered, gathering his books in both hands.

"You seem more absentminded than usual, Shino," Utsumi commented as they navigated their way down the corridor. "Did you get dumped again?"

"What? No, it isn't like that. I just have a lot of things to do after school."

"Too bad, huh? Well, it's your fault for coming in late."

Yuzuru stuck out his tongue at his companion and grumbled, "Be a little more sympathetic, will you, Utsumi? And you call yourself a friend."

Utsumi shrugged that off and instead changed the topic. "So who are you going with this weekend?"

"This weekend?"

"The preview passes, remember? The ones I gave you last week?" Utsumi paused at the door of their next classroom and glanced at him askance. "Have you already asked someone to go with you?"

Oh crap. The tickets. The ones Yuzuru had reduced to tiny shreds of paper and threw over the bridge last Saturday. The expression on his face must have betrayed his guilt, for Utsumi gave him a resigned look.

"You lost the tickets?" Utsumi guessed. "Things like those are hard to come by, you know."

Yuzuru grimaced, unable to meet his friend's gaze. "Not exactly. But…uh…yeah, same thing. They're gone."

"I am never giving you anything again. You're too careless, Shino."

"Sorry," Yuzuru muttered under his breath, following Utsumi inside the classroom. "But at least it was free, so there really isn't anything to get upset about."

"So you say," Utsumi said, frowning. "So this means that you're going to be free this weekend then?"

"Uh, I don't know. Why do you ask?"

"Some guys in class are planning a trip to the mountains. I think Koike and a few other girls are coming, too." Utsumi took his seat and waited for Yuzuru to do the same. "Wanna come? It's only a few months until graduation. We should make the most of our time before exam period comes."

A week and a half ago, Yuzuru would have responded readily to the invitation. But now, he hesitated, knowing there was at least one more person aside from his family members that he needed to consult about this matter. Seryou. Oh crap. He hadn't had a chance to call Seryou yet.

Yuzuru fumbled for his phone. Maybe just a short message should be fine for now.

"Shino!" His name was uttered reproachfully and was accompanied by a sharp smack in the head. "Hey, don't you dare start texting when someone's still talking to you. Were you even listening to me?"

"I _was_ listening!" Yuzuru groaned, clutching his head. "I just need to send someone a message!"

"Then give me an answer first, you idiot!"

"That's kinda why I'm sending a message!" Yuzuru's voice had risen defensively. "I need to ask if that guy has any plans, too!"

Utsumi regarded him in confusion. "That guy? Who? Your dad?"

Yuzuru opened his mouth to answer, but before he could do so, a shadow loomed over both Utsumi and him. They glanced up at the same time to find the teacher standing over them, arms crossed and eyes narrowed into irritated slits. Yuzuru hadn't even noticed that the teacher had arrived.

"You guys are too noisy!" The teacher's penetrating gaze flitted from Utsumi to Yuzuru, zeroing in on the phone Yuzuru held in his right hand. "And using your cell phone during class? You've got some nerve!"

"Ah, it isn't like that, Sensei—!"

"No explanations! Hand that over, Shino-kun."

And giving him a look that left no room for argument, the phone was plucked out of Yuzuru's hand and declared confiscated. Yuzuru nearly said something in protest, but Utsumi somehow managed to maneuver his foot under Yuzuru's desk and kick Yuzuru hard on the shin. A few rows to his right, Yuzuru caught Koike-chan motioning for him not to make another sound. He complied grudgingly, recognizing the wisdom in his friends' silent advice. He'd just make things more complicated if he said anything.

"I will see you two after class," the teacher instructed as she made her way back to the front. She threw a glance over her shoulder at Yuzuru's direction. "Shino-kun, you may claim your phone then."

Yuzuru nodded, not trusting himself to speak without bursting into a tirade. He kept his head down all throughout the class, his thoughts wandering to that mansion in the hill, to where Seryou was.

_"I wonder," _Yuzuru thought, unable to keep his mind on the ongoing lesson. _"How is he doing? Has he gone to sleep? Has he rested?" _Yuzuru's gaze drifted to the view outside the window. Ahhh…he couldn't concentrate…

"Shino!"

Once again, Yuzuru's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his name. And once more, when he lifted his eyes and looked around, the room was nearly empty. Had classes ended already? The teacher was gone. A few students were lounging by the front desk, chatting animatedly. In addition, two people were standing in front of him – one was shaking him from his self-induced stupor, and the other was poking his cheek with pretty much the same intention.

"See Koike?" Utsumi said, gesturing to Yuzuru. "He's doing it again. If his eyes weren't open, I'd have guessed that he'd already blacked out."

"Hmm," Koike-chan muttered, rubbing her chin as she regarded Yuzuru with critical eyes. "Doesn't seem like he was dumped. This guy wouldn't show any emotion at all if he were."

"So what then? You think he's sick?"

"Maybe he's just sleepy from watching too many movies."

Finally, Yuzuru couldn't take it. He glared at his friends. "I can hear you, you know."

"Oh! So he's alive after all," said Koike-chan in feigned amazement, addressing Utsumi, completely ignoring Yuzuru.

"Told you," said Utsumi, continuing the charade. "Maybe we should get him checked now."

"You guys…" Yuzuru groaned feebly. "Stop it."

"Only if you tell us why you're acting so weird," said Koike-chan.

"What?"

"Aha!" cried Utsumi all of a sudden. "You've really got a girlfriend again, haven't you?"

"A girlfriend, huh?" said Koike-chan, in a voice tinged with disbelief. "You actually managed to trick another girl into confessing to you?"

"That's mean, Koike-chan," Yuzuru griped. "I didn't trick anyone. And believe it or not, _I _did the confessing this time around."

"So you admit you've got a girlfriend!" Utsumi cried triumphantly.

"Well…yeah…kinda. That is…I'm seeing someone right now."

"Heh…" said Koike-chan, her interest kindled. "It must be serious then, for you to even confess first…"

Utsumi snapped his fingers, face clearing with realization. "So that was it. You wanted to send her a message and invite her to that mountain climbing thing this weekend, right?"

Yuzuru nodded. Well, that was partly the intention. And speaking of sending a message – Yuzuru craned his head to see where the teacher had gone – he really should check on Seryou now.

"Sensei's gone," Utsumi informed him, noticing his gaze. "You didn't even notice that?"

"But my phone!" Yuzuru wailed despairingly, upending his chair in his haste to stand up. "Where did she go?"

"The faculty room?" Koike-chan suggested. "Hey Utsumi. Aren't you supposed to go together?"

"Well yeah. But can't it wait—?"

"Come on, Utsumi!" Yuzuru cut in, dragging his friend by the elbow. "Let's go!"

"Uh, wait! Shino—!"

But Yuzuru wasn't listening. With another forceful tug, he half-hauled, half-marched Utsumi out of the door, thinking all the while what an utter pain this day was turning out to be.

Little did he know that his troubles were just starting.

_xxx _

_Seven Days _

_xxx_

_How disappointing._

Touji settled back against the headboard and pulled the blankets up to his chin with one hand. With the other, he held his cell phone up to eye level, staring at the blank screen, as though just by sheer wishful thinking, he could get the device to cough up a mail or a call from the one person who was currently at the forefront of his mind.

_Yuzuru-san._

_"He must be busy with class,"_ Touji thought bracingly. _"It wasn't as if he was allowed to use his phone during classes…" _

_"But he couldn't be _that _busy," _a small voice inside his head contradicted. _"He could have at least replied to your messages…"_

Touji sighed, pulling his knees up and resting his forehead against them. Unconsciously, his gaze drifted to the clock atop his bedside table, his shoulders drooping when he saw the time. It was Yuzuru-san's free period, wasn't it? So why…?

Touji shook his head. He shouldn't think of stuff like that. Maybe Yuzuru-san was about to call him anyway. Maybe he should just stay put and wait.

_Buzz! Buzz!_

Right on cue, his phone vibrated to indicate an incoming call. Touji hurried to answer, his mood lifting. But then his bubble of joy quickly imploded when he saw the characters that registered on the screen. An unknown number. Not Yuzuru-san's. He heaved another sigh of disappointment and ended the call without answering, his thoughts whizzing back to his upperclassman. What could Yuzuru-san be up to? What was he doing?

_Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! _

He was interrupted once more by his ringing phone, and glancing down, Touji saw that it was the same unknown number. Touji pressed the end button, getting slightly irritated when it started buzzing again after a few seconds. He tossed the phone aside and sank down into the mattress, burrowing into the sheets, pulling the covers over his head. He'd better sleep it off. The faster that he'd recover, the sooner that he could go back to school and see Yuzuru-san.

"Touji. Touji? Are you sleeping?"

It took a moment for the voice to permeate his consciousness. Touji peeked through a gap in the covers and saw that somebody had entered his room. Funny. He didn't even hear the door opening. Had he actually fallen asleep? Or was he just too distracted waiting for a call that would never seem to come?

"Touji?"

The covers were forcibly pulled away from his face, affording Touji a clear sight of the intruder. He straightened up in surprise. It was Natsuki, his brother.

"You're awake, aren't you?" Natsuki asked, eyeing him with something akin to exasperation. "Here."

Touji blinked at the object being offered to him – his brother's cell phone – regarding it with utter confusion. What was he supposed to do with it?

"It's Shino," Natsuki explained curtly, adding when Touji continued to look bewildered, "She said she's been trying to call you, but that you weren't answering. She's worried when I told her you're sick."

Touji didn't answer. He merely stared at the phone, unwilling to even touch it, thoroughly aware of the dangers that such a simple action could incite. He felt a sudden gush of animosity towards Shino for even daring to call him via his brother's phone.

The thing with Shino and him was complicated, and adding Natsuki into the mix was nothing short of a catastrophe. And what else could it possibly turn out to be when one steals one's brother's girlfriend? Until now, Touji had always marveled how their relationships somehow got through that debacle. He concluded that it was because he and Shino understood each other – that even if feelings did exist between them, they could never move forward when she clearly preferred Natsuki. Touji accepted that. He'd been jealous, true, that his brother had somebody like Shino who'd readily throw her life away for him, and he hadn't understood either how Natsuki could possibly cheat on her. He'd shared Shino's pain, and maybe it was because of that that he'd managed to do something unforgivable – break up a relationship and take his brother's lover for his own.

But despite all odds, the dust had cleared, and the scattered debris of their relationships had started to settle down and come together again. Touji and Shino broke up. Shino returned to Natsuki, and for his part, Natsuki seemed to have accepted her apology. Everything was fine…right? But Touji could never delude himself into believing that things would ever be the same between him and his brother. Even before, during, and after Touji and Shino dated, Natsuki never said a thing to him.

They were alike in a lot of things, largely because they were both raised in the same way. Compelled by their upbringing to always keep a respectable face at all times. Bound by family traditions to keep a tight rein over their emotions. It was in this respect that Touji felt most acutely that he and Natsuki were brothers.

Natsuki withdrew his hand when Touji made no signs of responding. "Looks like he's tired, Shino," he said into the phone. "Let him be."

Natsuki walked away, to the window, where he continued to reason with his girlfriend. Touji watched him in silence, catching a few fragments of Shino's responses. He could make out enough to deduce that Shino was insisting on coming over. '_Why,' _Touji thought with resignation, _'did she need to make things so difficult?'_

"There's no need," Natsuki was saying. "Everything's perfectly fine here. Touji has seen the doctor. He's getting better."

That was true. Touji had taken all the prescribed medications and had stayed in bed for most of the day. He should be fine by tomorrow or the day after that.

"—but you'll do whatever you want to, anyway," said Natsuki, shaking his head, "so why do I even bother? Fine, fine. Come whenever you want. Bye."

Natsuki turned to look at Touji, shrugging, as if to say that he did the best he could. "Shino's coming over," he informed him dryly. "She _insisted_, so humor her if she wants to play nurse with you."

It was things like these that reminded Touji that he and his brother would never return to how they were right before everything happened. Notwithstanding Natsuki's casual tone when he delivered his little speech, Touji could still sense a hostile undertone beneath the statement. Shino might have been forgiven, but it would appear that he wasn't. And how could he be, when he had never apologized? He didn't know how to.

"I'm fine already…" Touji finally said. "I think I'll just…sleep for now…"

"Good luck with that," Natsuki replied. "You know how she is. She'll never stop until she feels she's done something to help you recover, so the sooner that you give her a sense of accomplishment, the sooner that she'll stop fussing over you."

He gave no indication how he felt about his girlfriend "fussing over" his little brother – who, moreover, happened to be his girlfriend's ex. But when Natsuki turned away, Touji thought that he looked a little upset.

"You can stop her," Touji suggested softly.

"She never listens to anyone."

"She'll listen to you," Touji insisted. "If you tell her you don't like it—"

"Why don't _you _tell her _you_ don't like it?" Natsuki interrupted, glancing at him with an unreadable expression. "Because you _don't, _do you, Touji?"

"Aniki…"

They eyed each other, emotions running amok for a second before they both drew back and restrained themselves. Touji wanted to tell his brother that he had nothing to worry about, that he'd found someone he liked more than Shino…but words failed him and he was the first to tear his gaze away.

"I'm going out. Tell Shino I'll see her later." And with those parting words, Natsuki strode towards the door and pulled it shut.

It was only then that Touji managed to lift his chin and gaze after his brother. A sinking feeling in his gut told him that this was going to be a terrible day.

_xxx _

_Seven Days _

_xxx_

**Wednesday, PM**

Shino came as promised. She waltzed nonchalantly through his bedroom door, and without warning or invitation, plopped down on the bed and placed a hand over Touji's forehead.

"You don't have a fever," she said, pouting. "And you look fine. Natsuki said that you were sick!"

"I was," Touji responded, peeling Shino's hand off his face. "And he also told you that I was feeling better."

"He didn't tell me that."

"He did. I was listening to your conversation." He frowned at her. "Which reminds me, why did you have to do that? Calling Aniki just to talk to me?"

Shino matched his scowl with one of her own. "Because you weren't answering! I've been calling you, you know."

"Shino…which part of me not answering any more of your calls did you not understand?"

"What's with that attitude?" Shino huffed, flipping her hair back dismissively. "I'm sure Yuzuru-kun wouldn't mind if we remained friends." Her eyes sparkled with mischief, as she leaned forward towards Touji so that she was staring straight into his eyes. "Well unless…don't tell me he's the jealous type?"

The offhand mention of Yuzuru-san's name made him scowl, and the follow-up question increased his annoyance to another notch. Knowing Shino, he knew the matter of his love life wouldn't be left alone until it was picked clean off the bone. He wished that his brother would return soon. He was willing to deal with the awkwardness of all three of them being in the same room just for the chance of diverting Shino's attention.

"You already saw him," Touji said evasively. "I brought him home once."

"Well, he seemed too crabby to me…"

"That's because you started bothering him," Touji reasoned, getting defensive without him meaning to. "He's actually quite cheerful. All the club members look up to him."

"Aha!" Shino exclaimed in comprehension. "So he's in the Archery Club, too? Is that where you guys met?"

Touji cursed himself for letting that information slip. He could tell that Shino was fishing for more, so he took a mental step back and tried to change the topic. "Do you know where Aniki went?"

"Driving somewhere, I bet," Shino answered. "But he'll be back."

"You don't look worried," Touji observed, recalling Shino's meltdown yesterday, when she'd called him to complain about Natsuki. "I'm guessing you two have made up?"

Shino made a noncommittal noise. "You could say that."

Touji cocked his head and regarded the girl curiously, a warning bell ringing somewhere inside his mind. She'd been very vocal about her relationship problems before, but now, she seemed to be holding back – a pretty impressive feat for someone who had always been so forthright with her thoughts and feelings. Not that Touji minded, for he could do without Shino's love life overlapping with his personal life, but he found himself incapable of ignoring the girl's poorly-disguised misery. With a jolt of insight, he now understood why Shino had called him, why she had blatantly used Natsuki's number to get to him, why she was here, alone with her ex-boyfriend, while her current one was away…

Whatever the source of yesterday's argument was, it was clear that nothing had been resolved. Although she didn't show it, Shino was still furious, and spending time alone with Touji was her way of getting back at Natsuki. Touji shook his head in disbelief. He was being used again, but to his pleasant surprise, he found that it didn't bother him as much as it did before. It didn't hurt as much as before.

"You should go, Shino," Touji said, smiling in understanding. "Call Aniki and take him out for dinner."

Shino's mask of composure broke at his sympathy. "Why should I?" she demanded, crossing her arms. "He's the one who went somewhere yesterday – _for one whole day – _and wouldn't tell me anything about it! He wouldn't even tell me who he was with, but I'm sure there was somebody. It's just like before, when he went out with that…that _whore_!"

Touji listened, nodding or shaking his head, depending on what was said. Shino's litany went on for a few minutes, and finally, when she was tired and spent, she collapsed on the bed, pressing her face against Touji's pillow. Touji allowed her to cry her frustrations out, and when she was done, he shook her gently, as if to rouse her from sleep.

"Hey Shino?"

"What?"

"When you told Aniki that you were coming to see me," Touji began, "he really looked upset. I think he left because he didn't want to see us together."

Shino sniffed and regarded him hopefully. "You think so?"

Touji nodded empathically. "So what do you want to do?"

Shino raised her head, wiping the tears off her cheeks, and answered tremulously, "I want to be with Natsuki."

"Okay," said Touji. "Call him then. Meet him somewhere."

He waited for her to obey. Shino sat back up, legs folded beneath her, phone pressed against her ear.

"He's not answering," she said in alarm. "Natsuki's not answering."

"Try again," Touji instructed, watching patiently as she redialed and waited for her boyfriend to pick up. Finally, on the fifth ring, Natsuki answered.

The joy and relief that sparked from Shino's eyes and lit her entire face was a sight to behold. She was truly beautiful, with a face and a body that any woman would eagerly kill for. And being so passionately in love as she was right then, she seemed to glow even brighter.

"We're meeting for dinner!" Shino announced happily when the call ended. "Natsuki said he found a restaurant just now and he wanted me to meet him!"

It was amazing what love could do, Touji mused. Of course he'd seen it before, with Shino and his brother, and since then, he couldn't wait to feel it firsthand and see with his own eyes, to feel with his own heart what it was really like. He'd been jealous of his brother before, to have easily found something that Touji wanted. But right now…

"You wanna help me get ready, Touji?" Shino chirped.

"I'm going to sleep," Touji said, sinking down to the covers. "The medicine makes me feel lightheaded."

"Oh, but I can't leave you alone."

"I'm not a child, Shino. You can go."

"Are you sure?" said Shino doubtfully. "Wouldn't it be better if someone stays with you?"

"Maybe," Touji acknowledged, closing his eyes. "But not you. So go away. And don't screw around this time."

"You're the best, Touji!" Shino cried, throwing her arms around him and planting a kiss on his cheek. "But I've got some time, so I could watch you until you fall asleep."

Touji extricated the girl's arms from around him and slowly pushed her away. "Shino," he protested, "stop doing this."

"Eh? What? Why?"

"Because," Touji said, speaking slowly so that he wouldn't be misunderstood, "this is disgraceful, and I don't want to hurt any of the persons we're going out with just because of this."

"Just because?" Shino repeated innocently – a little _too _innocently. "What are you talking about, Tou—?"

Touji narrowed his eyes. "Yuzuru-san is important to me. If you do anything to mess this up – to mess _us _up – I will never forgive you."

Shino gaped at him, wide-eyed. She knew Touji better than anybody, and she could probably sense how absolutely serious he was right then. It took some time for her to recover, and for a while, Touji didn't know whether she would burst out with laughter or anger or both.

Mirth won out, and Shino giggled loudly. "When did you become so cool, Touji?"

"I'm not kidding, Shino. So this would be the last time that you and I are going to be alone like this."

"I hate it when you say things like that. You used to be fun."

Touji pulled the blanket over his head once again, blocking Shino out, blocking the world out. This conversation had completely sapped him of his energy. He needed to sleep.

"Go away, Shino," he muttered again, not bothering to see whether his command was followed. He felt the mattress dipping down and then bouncing back up as Shino got off the bed, but he didn't hear the door closing. Maybe Shino stayed to watch over him like she said she would. Maybe she didn't. Touji found that he didn't care anymore.

Touji slept, and when he drifted off, he dreamed of only one person.

_"Yuzuru-san…_"

_xxx _

_To be continued_

_xxx_

_Hmm…had a lot of free time again. Hahaha. For butterfree and datawolf39 for the reviews! Thanks guys!_


	4. Wednesday Part 2

**The Week After**

_xxx _

_Seven Days _

_xxx_

**Wednesday, After School**

Yuzuru had just had the worst day of his life.

If his morning hadn't been terrible enough, the afternoon brought nothing but a wave of more unfortunate situations. First, there was the issue about his phone. He and Utsumi had gone to the faculty room after fourth period, and while he was able to retrieve his phone at long last, having it in his possession didn't improve matters for him at all. He saw that there were several messages in his inbox, some from his sister and most from Seryou. Before he could open any of those, however, Utsumi had snatched the phone out of his hand.

"Hey!" he cried indignantly, "Give it back!"

"Whoa," Utsumi remarked, "You have so many messages. So which one's from your girlfriend?"

"Utsumi!"

"I can read it out for you," Utsumi offered teasingly, glasses twinkling. "So let's see—"

Yuzuru tried to grab the phone back, but playing to his height advantage, Utsumi lifted the device up to evade Yuzuru's prying hands.

"Give it back already! Hey, Utsumi!"

But his friend merely flipped the phone towards his face, trying to read from that angle, fending off Yuzuru's attempts to reclaim the device. Yuzuru didn't quite know how it happened, but in the confusion of the two of them squabbling over the phone, it somehow flew out of their grasps and landed with a loud crash on the floor.

There was a beat or two, where they just stared at the broken device, neither of them quite knowing what to do. It was Yuzuru who reacted first.

"Hey, Utsumi…" he said in a dangerous tone, a large vein ticking at the side of his head, "What have you done?!"

Utsumi tried to smile. "Uh…I'm sorry?"

"UT-SU-MI!" Yuzuru howled, and he would have gone on shouting obscenities at his friend if the bell hadn't rang for the next period. Wary of committing another offense and adding another strike to his ever growing list of punishments, Yuzuru scraped the remnants of his phone off the ground, and just let it go. For the moment, at least.

But his phone breaking apart was the least of his worries. After class, Utsumi redeemed himself slightly by piecing the broken gadget together. It still worked fairly well, although Yuzuru suspected that he needed to take it to a repair center when he had time. At the very least, he was finally able to read the messages.

His sister's text messages comprised of several reminders about the things she'd asked him to do. '_Geez_,' he thought, she really didn't trust him to remember, did she? Yuzuru replied accordingly, and with that out of the way, he set about perusing Seryou's messages. There were quite a few.

_"Have you made it to class yet? You weren't late, were you?"_

_"Hey…how was your class? You have free period right now, don't you?"_

_"Have you fallen asleep? Please send me a message whenever you're free."_

There were several more, all quite short, all asking him how he was doing. _'That should be _my_ line, you idiot,' _Yuzuru thought fondly. He pressed the call button, smiling in anticipation while waiting for Seryou to pick up.

The problem was, he didn't. But someone else did.

"Hello?"

Yuzuru's smile vanished almost instantly. The voice that answered wasn't Seryou's. It was a girl. He hesitated, wondering whether he'd dialed the right number, but he knew somehow that that wasn't it. And besides, the shrill voice from the other end sounded ominously familiar. He'd heard this voice before, but where…?

"Ah! Is this Yuzuru-kun?"

Yuzuru's brow creased at the sound of his own name. "Who is this?"

"It's Shino," the unknown girl introduced herself. "Remember? We've met before."

_Shino. _Yuzuru stiffened. _Shino! _What the hell was she doing with Seryou's phone?

"Are you looking for Touji?" Shino asked. "He's asleep at the moment, but I'll take a message."

Asleep. Seryou's asleep. And this girl…Shino…had somehow ended up taking messages for him. Yuzuru pieced these tiny pieces of information together as best as he could, his imagination zooming into overdrive. What the hell was this all about, damn it?!

"Yuzuru-kun~?" His name was uttered in a horribly childish sing-song note. "Are you still there?"

_Damn it! Damn it! Daaaammmmiiiiiit!_

He was nearly ready to explode. Much as he wanted to stop and give himself more time to digest the matter, he just _couldn't_. It wasn't in his nature to reflect upon things too much. He was that person who always leaps into action without any form of premeditation. And right now, all he wanted was to punch Seryou in the face.

"Tsk! Yeah, I would like to leave a message," he said belligerently. "Tell Seryou that I'm coming over – _right now!_"

He didn't wait for the girl's reply. He didn't want to hear her voice any longer – and coming from Seryou's phone at that! What nerve! What were they doing together anyway? Yuzuru was so pissed off that he'd rushed out of the school building without even saying goodbye to Utsumi. He was so consumed with anger that it was only after he was near Seryou's house that his head cooled down enough to remember that he was supposed to report to the faculty room. _And_ he was still supposed to drop by the supermarket!

Yuzuru hesitated for a second, but the sense of responsibility that he felt for a mere moment vanished in the blink of an eye, and he continued his ascent up the path towards Seryou's house without further ado.

Reaching the gates of the Seryou residence, Yuzuru stopped, huffing with exertion at having jogged all the way up. He stared at the massive metalwork with some reservation before he pressed the intercom. He stepped back and waited.

The intercom crackled to life, and a deep, formal voice emanated from within, "This is the Seryou Residence."

"I came to see Seryou!" Yuzuru said immediately, although he felt quite foolish talking to a device.

"I am terribly sorry, but Natsuki-sama has gone out for dinner."

Natsuki who? Who the hell was that? Yuzuru cleared his throat, temper flaring. "Not him. I'm looking for…for Touji. I'm his—"

"Ah, might I be addressing _the_ Yuzuru-sama?" asked the voice. "I apologize for the mix-up. Your arrival is anticipated. Please come in."

_His arrival is anticipated?_ What was that supposed to mean? The question occupied his mind as the gates automatically swung inward. He crossed the cobbled path leading to the main house, noting with surprise that it was already open. The same elderly man who opened the door last week was there, apparently waiting for him. The man bowed when Yuzuru reached the door.

"Welcome, Yuzuru-sama. The young master is convalescing, but we shall let him know that you have arrived. Please come in and take a seat."

Yuzuru's head was spinning. Young master. Convalescing. What planet did this man come from? He took a step forward and despite himself, he stopped. He'd gone as far as the doorstep before, but he didn't get to go in because…well, because he'd allowed his temper to get the best of him, and he had run away instead. He wouldn't run away this time. No way. Not until he'd confronted Seryou and gave him a piece of his mind.

Yuzuru took a deep breath and crossed the threshold, but as soon as he was inside, he forgot everything for one mind-boggling moment. Seryou's house was…it was just…

"Please take a seat, Yuzuru-sama," said the elderly man. "I shall inform the young master of your arrival."

Yuzuru took the offered seat, feeling quite overwhelmed. The place was just like a castle in a fairy tale! _'Whoa!' _Yuzuru exclaimed inside his head, _'They even have one those grand staircases!' _As his eyes followed the winding contour of the magnificent staircase, Yuzuru could just picture a prince and a princess descending gracefully down those steps. Somehow, in his imagination, the prince had Seryou's face, and clinging to his elbow was a princess who looked exactly like Shino.

Arghh! Why was he thinking of something like that? He shook his head violently, but the mental image stuck, and wherever else he looked, all he could see were Seryou and Shino together – holding hands, seated together, kissing…

All horrible thoughts. He could think of nothing else but these horrible thoughts! Yuzuru tapped his foot impatiently. Where was Seryou?

Just as he was about to set out and search for Seryou himself, the elderly man returned, a grave expression on his face. "I apologize, Yuzuru-sama, but it would appear that the young master does not wish to see anyone tonight."

He didn't immediately understand what the man was saying, because surely it was impossible that Seryou had just refused to see him! Why would Seryou not want to see him? And then Yuzuru's blood ran cold at the idea that perhaps Seryou had changed his mind about him. But surely he would tell him so, wouldn't he? Or was he just mad because Yuzuru hadn't responded to any of his calls and messages?

_'But it wasn't my fault,'_ Yuzuru thought. _'Damn Utsumi!'_

"Would you care to leave a message instead, Yuzuru-sama?"

"Uh…Seryou's been sick the entire day, hasn't he?" Yuzuru asked. "Is he okay now?"

"The young master is feeling better," answered the man, bowing appreciatively for Yuzuru's concern. "He is currently indisposed. I believe he is talking to someone on the phone."

"Oh. Uh…is he alone? Is…Shino there?" He waited for the response, muscles tensing, pretty much like he was waiting for a blow to come.

The man smiled. "Shino-sama left a while ago, but she informed us that you would be coming."

Yuzuru nodded, calming down. So Seryou's alone right now, huh? But still, what was he doing with that girl?

"Shino-sama came by to check on the young master," the man offered, correctly interpreting the question in Yuzuru's face. "She and Natsuki-sama had gone out for dinner."

"Natsuki?" Yuzuru repeated. That name again. Who could that guy be?

"Touji-sama's older brother."

"Eh?"

"Shino-sama's boyfriend."

Yuzuru took a second to take that in. And then it clicked. Yesterday, when they went out, Seryou did mention that he had a brother. And Seryou's brother was Shino's—

"EH?!" Yuzuru sputtered. Shino was the girl who dumped Seryou, but she was now dating Seryou's brother, so… Argh! Why did everything need to be so convoluted? Yuzuru shook his head to clear it, deciding that he'd had enough for one day.

But geez! He was _so_ stupid! He'd obviously misunderstood the situation; he'd misread everything again! Besides, it wasn't like Seryou to cheat on anyone, and it wasn't like Seryou to hold a grudge against anyone either. The simplest explanation was perhaps the closest to the truth – Seryou was busy right now. Yuzuru shouldn't disturb him.

"Uh…I guess I should go," he said, bowing clumsily. "Please tell Seryou that I came by."

The man smiled and said that he would. Yuzuru bowed again in gratitude for the man's hospitality, and with a final look up the staircase, he allowed himself to be ushered out of the door.

_xxx _

_Seven Days _

_xxx_

Touji awoke to the sound of his phone buzzing. Eyes still heavy with sleep, he gave the screen a brief glance, fingers finding the end button. An unknown number – again. He'd been getting a lot of those lately. He wondered why. He was about to go back to sleep when he felt something that did not belong stuck at the back of his phone. What was it? A note?

Touji straightened up, turning the device over. It was a note alright. He recognized Shino's handwriting at once, and her message jolted him awake as effectively as though someone had poured a bucket of ice water over his head.

_'Yuzuru called,' _Shino had scribbled in a loopy script.

Touji stared at the words for a few seconds, flipping the note over and over to see the rest of it. But there was none. When did Yuzuru-san call? What did he say? More importantly, what did _Shino_ say to _him_?

Touji's fingers flew over the keypad, finding Yuzuru-san's number and dialing it in a few strokes. His heart sank. The line wasn't connecting. Did Yuzuru-san turn off his cell phone? He tried again and again, getting the same result each time.

Touji gritted his teeth, realizing that there was one person he needed to call right now. Shino. Sheesh, it was obvious that this was her intention all along, leaving a message as intentionally vague as that! But Touji had already deleted her number… No, wait a minute. Maybe he could get it from his phone history…

But Shino wasn't answering. Touji redialed for the seventh time, but as it did for his other attempts, his call merely went to voice mail.

She was doing this on purpose! Touji knew what Shino wanted him to do, but he couldn't understand why she would be so deliberately cruel. What did she want to accomplish by tricking him into doing this?

He was just wondering what to do next when there was a soft knock upon his door. The butler's voice issued in, slightly muffled through the wood, but otherwise discernible.

"Young Master? Are you awake? Your visitor has arrived."

Touji's brow creased. What visitor? He wasn't expecting any visitors. "I'm sorry," he called out distractedly. "I have an important call to make. Can you please just take a message?"

"If you wish, Young Master," came the reply.

Touji waited for the butler's departing footsteps to subside before he returned to his prior concern. _'Okay,' _he convinced himself, _'You must do this.' _Touji scrolled down his phonebook, finding the entry for Natsuki. He breathed out and pressed call.

"Touji?" Natsuki answered. He seemed to be indoors, maybe at that restaurant Shino had mentioned earlier. There was soft music playing at the background.

"Aniki," Touji said, too stressed out to beat around the bush, "is Shino with you?"

"I have a feeling you'd call," Natsuki said, sighing audibly. "What did she do this time?"

"Uh…I…"

"Never mind. I don't want to know," Natsuki said, not waiting for Touji to string his words together. "Hold on. I'll get her for you."

The sound of the phone being shuffled from one hand to another reached his ears. And then Shino's voice came, cheerful as always.

"Touji," she said in mock reproach, "why do you have to call me using Natsuki's number?"

"I don't have time for this, Shino," Touji replied in a low tone. "You weren't answering your phone."

"But didn't you say you wouldn't call me anymore?"

"Shino," Touji said warningly. "What did Yuzuru-san say?"

"Oh, about that?" Shino asked, unperturbed. "Well, he called while you were sleeping. I told him to leave a message."

"And where's the message?"

"I think I forgot to write it down."

"Shino!" he growled. "_Stop_ screwing around!"

Shino didn't answer, leaving Touji worried for a moment that she'd throw a tantrum and ignore his questions completely.

"You've…_never_ raised your voice to me before," Shino said softly, sounding awed.

Touji realized that too, and he felt immediately guilty. "I'm…I'm sorry…"

"No, don't," said Shino, "Now I get it. You _really _like him, do you?"

Touji rubbed his forehead wearily. "I _love_ him, Shino."

"Hmm…I see." There was another beat. And then Shino said, her voice changing, "Touji…thank you for everything."

"Huh?" Touji strained to listen, wondering whether his ears were deceiving him. What was this all of a sudden?

Shino laughed. "Hey Touji? There's something I want to tell you."

"Yes?"

"This is the last time that I'm going to answer any of your calls," she said in perfect imitation of Touji's tone. She laughed, gently this time, as though she really meant what she'd said. "Well, see you around, Touji! Goodbye!"

Touji took a second to keep up with what just happened. Shino. He shook his head and in spite of everything, he smiled. She always did what she wanted, that Shino. But it seemed that she finally understood what he had been trying to tell her. Now it was mutual. Whatever they had, whatever they shared, it was now officially and truly over.

_Beep!_

Touji glanced down at the screen, finding a new mail. He quickly opened it, instinctively knowing who it was from. Shino's final message.

_"By the way, Yuzuru-kun said that he was coming over. I already told your butler to let him right in and call you when he's there."_

He had to reread the message several times to fully absorb what it meant. As the full weight of those words descended upon him, he felt panic flooding his senses, realizing that Yuzuru-san had…he had…

_"Young Master? Are you awake? Your visitor has arrived."_

He recalled the butler's voice with excruciating clarity, his distress escalating as he realized that he HAD JUST SENT YUZURU-SAN AWAY! How could he not have realized earlier that Yuzuru-san was one of the few people who knew where he lived?

Wasting not a single second, Touji hurried out his room, through the hallway, and down the staircase. The butler looked up in slight alarm at his sudden entrance, but true to form, he maintained an impassive face as he answered Touji's queries about the unnamed visitor.

"He already left, Young Master," said the butler. "But he said to tell you that he dropped by."

"How long ago did he leave?" he asked impatiently, not caring that he was probably being rude right now.

"Barely five minutes ago, Young Master."

Touji considered that for a second. His gaze went to the door, and then making up his mind, he raced out, past the gate and down the path. His mind was whirring so fast all the while, as he tried to analyze everything that took place from Yuzuru-san's unique – if not entirely accurate – perspective. Having Shino answer his phone. Thinking that Touji had turned him away from his house…

All in all, given everything that happened with the time that elapsed, Touji knew there was a very high probability that Yuzuru-san had already jumped to the wrong conclusions.

Touji sped up, wishing with all his might that he'd find Yuzuru-san before it was too late.

_xxx _

_Seven Days _

_xxx_

"Where are you, Yuzu-nii?" his sister screeched over the phone, "Where're the groceries? And dinner! Weren't you supposed to prepare dinner?"

Yuzuru tried, once more, to apologize, but his sister merely shrieked out, "You don't even sound sincere! Ahh! I knew this would happen! Really, Yuzu-nii!"

"I'm really sorry, okay?" said Yuzuru, scratching the back of his head. "I'll just get the groceries tomorrow."

"Sheesh. Fine, fine. Drop by the convenience store then. Where are you, by the way?"

"Uh…I'm on my way home. I just had to visit a friend who's sick."

"That so? Hey, Yuzu-nii…"

"Hmm?"

"You've been acting weird lately. Everything alright?"

Yuzuru mulled that over, wondering what to say. His little sister was a strange person to go to for relationship advice, but he had very limited choices as it were. Besides, Utsumi and Koike-chan would just make fun of him. He shrugged and decided to just give it a shot.

"Hey, do you have a boyfriend?"

He should have had the foresight to predict how his sister would react, but his head was full of other things and his cluttered brain couldn't accommodate anything more. He didn't even have the sense to pull the phone away from his ear before the inevitable happened.

"WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU WANT TO KNOW SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU PERVERT! THAT'S PERSONAL, DAMN IT!"

And she hung up without even saying goodbye.

Yuzuru stopped, nursing his battered ear. One day – _if_ he remembered, and _if_ he could somehow summon the fortitude to do so – he would have to say something about his sister's manner of speech. But not today. Today was an awful day. He didn't need another fight or argument or any sort of unfortunate situation to further mess it up. He had enough on his plate already.

"Yuzuru-san!"

Crap. Something must be wrong with his ear. He thought he heard Seryou's voice.

"Yuzuru-san!"

Maybe his sister's hellish scream had damaged something inside his ear canal. Tsk. How terrible.

"Yuzuru-san!"

Okay, _that _sounded too real, like Seryou was right behind him—

"YUZURU-SAN!"

A hand descended on his shoulder and turned him around. Yuzuru's jaw fell open as he swiveled back and came face to face with the one person he'd been thinking of a lot this entire day.

Seryou!

_xxx _

_Seven Days _

_xxx_

Touji paused for a second to catch his breath. Yuzuru-san was right in front of him, watching him with a forbidding expression. He looked initially surprised at his appearance, but when that wore off, his lips turned down into a disapproving scowl.

He looked a little bit scary to Touji.

"Yuzuru-san, I'm sorry about a while ago," he said in a rush. "I honestly didn't know that you were coming, and I just woke up too, and I didn't realize sooner that you…" He was babbling, Touji realized, but he couldn't help it. He needed to make Yuzuru-san understand. He needed to make him see—

"You ran all the way here just to tell me that?" Yuzuru-san interrupted his monologue. "How much of an idiot are you?"

Touji drew back, not knowing how to take that. Yuzuru-san looked angry – _very _much so.

"Yuzuru…san…?"

"Geez," Yuzuru-san said crossly. "I can't even look at you right now."

Words could kill, Touji knew that, and right then, he could almost feel himself bleeding.

_xxx _

_Seven Days _

_xxx_

Yuzuru couldn't look at him – this guy who was recovering from an illness, who ran all the way down a hill just to explain these things to him. These petty, insignificant things! Why oh why did he have to beat himself up with issues that weren't his fault to start with? Seryou could be so exasperatingly considerate, and it was more than enough sometimes to drive Yuzuru insane! Yuzuru couldn't take seeing him in such a harassed state, spouting apologies that should have been Yuzuru's to make.

"Yuzuru-san, please listen to me…" Seryou went on to explain something about Shino – how Shino just dropped by to check on him, how he'd already told her that he wouldn't see her again, how he didn't want to hurt Yuzuru just because of her… Seryou told him a lot of things – more words than he'd ever said before – but Yuzuru didn't want to hear anything more.

"Stop it," he cut Seryou short. Seryou's face was twisted with a hideous pained expression, and Yuzuru just wanted to make him stop – stop explaining, stop apologizing, stop looking as though the world had just crashed down on him. "You don't need to explain anything to me."

"But Yuzuru-san—!"

"I TOLD YOU TO STOP IT!"

Seryou flinched and fell silent, but he continued to look so miserable that Yuzuru felt at once that he was handling the situation the wrong way. Damn it. Why the freaking hell couldn't he do anything right?

_xxx _

_Seven Days _

_xxx_

_'So it ends here?'_ Touji thought with a heavy heart, and even if Yuzuru-san was just a few steps away from him, the latter seemed to be drifting further out of his reach. How ironic. They hurdled seven days of a seemingly whirlwind romance just to come to an end three days later?

_'Say something!' _Touji's brain was screaming at him, but his lips had frozen and wouldn't move no matter how much he tried. What could he say anyway to make everything right? What could he do to make Yuzuru-san feel better when Yuzuru-san didn't want to listen to anything he had to say?

Yuzuru-san took a step towards him, and despite himself, Touji recoiled. A chill ran up his spine, and he shivered, realizing for the first time since he'd left the house that he was wearing only a thin shirt and his pajamas. It was a miracle he wasn't barefooted. He couldn't even remember putting his shoes on.

"If the girls in school happen to see you like this," Yuzuru-san said, stopping right in front of him, "it would be the end of their fantasies. You look so _not _cool, you know that?"

Touji blinked. What was Yuzuru-san saying…?

"Although it would be to my advantage if that were to happen," Yuzuru-san added casually. "Then I don't have to worry so much…"

"Yuzuru-san…?"

Yuzuru-san shook his head at himself, as though silently rebuking himself for something. Then he took off his school jacket and flung it over Touji's shoulders, pulling the collar together to secure it. "Man, you look so pathetic. I told you to rest, didn't I?"

"Wait a second…" Touji said hoarsely, his voice barely a whisper, "Yuzuru-san…aren't you mad at me?"

Yuzuru-san tilted his head. "Why should I be?"

Touji stared, speechless. Had he just imagined everything? "But Yuzuru-san…a while ago, you looked so…"

"I was mad at myself," Yuzuru-san explained, "I told you before. I get annoyed at myself because I take the simplest things the wrong way. You and Shino, for instance." He sighed and pressed a warm hand against Touji's cheek, fingers brushing his hair back. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I really am too dense."

Touji held Yuzuru-san's hand in place, savoring the heat that emanated from his senior's palm. He felt a crushing urge to kiss Yuzuru-san, but he kept himself in check, knowing that this was neither the time nor the appropriate place. Besides, he still had some things to clarify…

"Yuzuru-san…about Shino…"

"Hey Seryou," Yuzuru-san cut in, "you said that you're the type who likes to be pinned down, right?"

"Eh?" Touji didn't know where this was heading. "Uh…yeah…"

"Then…if I ask you not to see her anymore—"

"Yuzuru-san…" It was Touji's turn to interrupt. "Weren't you listening? I told you that I'm not going to see her again."

"Hmm, really?"

"You sound like you don't believe me."

Yuzuru-san suddenly laughed. His hand shifted, gliding to Touji's nape, pulling their faces together until their lips met into a kiss.

"You masochist," Yuzuru-san said fondly, "How could you possibly try to ignore her and keep away when she's around you all the time? Wouldn't that be very uncomfortable? What would your brother say if you kept treating his girlfriend badly, huh?"

Touji stared, trying to catch up with what Yuzuru-san was saying. How did he know about Shino and his brother…?

"I don't understand…" he said tentatively, "Are you saying that…?"

"I've decided that I don't care about her anymore," Yuzuru-san said. "Well, I'll try not to. I've caused you so much trouble by being so petty, haven't I? Next time, tell me straight out if you happen to be with her or something, so that I wouldn't overreact so much."

Touji smiled for the first time, feeling a gush of affection for his upperclassman. "Okay. I'll keep that in mind."

"Well," said Yuzuru-san, grinning, "if I don't like it, I can always yell at you."

"That's mean, Yuzuru-san," Touji laughed, feeling a hundred times better already. "But you being jealous is actually kind of cute…"

"Jealous?" Yuzuru-san said, looking disgusted, "Cute?"

Touji laughed. Yuzuru-san regarded him uncomprehendingly, and then after a second, he joined in. For a wondrous moment, as they stood there laughing about nothing in particular, everything was alright with the world again.

_xxx _

_Seven Days _

_xxx_

**Wednesday, Night**

"Come on," Yuzuru said after a moment, "I'll walk you home."

The sun had set, and by the time they reached the gates of Seryou's house, it was already dark. Yuzuru looked up at the skies. Everything was so quiet and peaceful out here, not unlike the apartment they lived in, where noises of vehicles driving by the street below could still be heard. The tranquility suited Seryou's personality well enough.

"Yuzuru-san? What are you thinking about?"

Yuzuru turned to the younger boy and smiled. "This is just like yesterday, right? Walking home after school. Feels nice, huh?" He stretched his arms out. "Ahh, I could get used to this!"

"You kissed me yesterday, though," said Seryou.

Yuzuru grinned, poking Seryou playfully on the shoulder. "Eh, what's this? Are you actually suggesting something?"

To his surprise, Seryou didn't clam up or look away or step back. Instead, Seryou reached for his face, stroked his cheek, and drew nearer to kiss him again.

"What was that about?" Yuzuru asked when they parted, finding that he was catching his breath this time around. That was…intense. Damn. Seryou was full of surprises.

It was Seryou's turn to grin. "You keep telling me to be more straightforward. Well, I _am_ a fast learner, Yuzuru-san."

Yuzuru shook his head and laughed again. Yes, Seryou was truly full of surprises.

_xxx _

_Seven Days _

_xxx_

Yuzuru-san's laughter, Touji decided, was the most wonderful sound in the world.

"Glad to know that you're keeping up," Yuzuru-san told him, subsiding after a second. "Now get inside and rest. I want to see you at school tomorrow."

Touji nodded. And then he remembered something. "Ah, Yuzuru-san, your jacket…"

"Don't worry about it. I have a spare."

"But aren't you going to get cold?"

He was just thinking that he wouldn't have Yuzuru-san get sick because of him, and his hands had already moved to take the jacket off. But as always, Yuzuru-san had a mind of his own, and before Touji could do anything, the older boy had already leaned forward to press his lips softly against his. It was brief and fleeting, and before Touji could so much as blink, Yuzuru-san withdrew.

"There," Yuzuru-san said, as though he'd just made an important point. "I'm no longer cold. See you tomorrow, Seryou!" With a smile and a wave, he took off, disappearing around the bend.

At the end of the day, he could never prevail against Yuzuru-san when it came to doing something unpredictable. Touji stared after his upperclassman, lifting a hand to touch his lips, feeling the blood tinting his cheeks with color. Yuzuru-san's jacket was warm, and Touji pulled it closer, inhaling deeply. It smelled of…Yuzuru-san.

He smiled. Yuzuru-san was right. It did get kind of…hot.

"See you tomorrow," Touji said softly, the cold breeze carrying his voice over the trees, "Yuzuru-san."

_xxx _

_To be continued_

_xxx_

_Edit 2/8/13: Minor edits done based on contents of the drama CD. Reviews are very much appreciated!_


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